THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

Ex  Libris 

Katharine  F,  Richmond 

and 
Henry  C.  Fall 


H1STOEICAL    SKETCHES 


OF  THE 


DISCOVERY,    SETTLEMENT, 


AND    PROGRESS   OF   EVENTS 


IN  THE 


COOS    COUNTRY    AND   VICINITY, 


PRINCIPALLY    INCLUDED 


Between  the  Years  1754  and  1785. 


BY  REV.  GRANT  POWERS,  A.  M.,  C.  H.  S. 


HAVERHILL,   N.   H. 
PUBLISHED    BT    HENRY    MERRILL. 

1880. 


District  of  Connecticut,  ss. 

BE  rr  REMEMBERED,  that  on  the  ninth  day  of  March,  A.  D. 
1840,  GRANT  POWERS,  of  the  said  district,  hath  deposited  in  this 
office  the  title  of  a  book,  the  title  of  which  is  in  the  Words  fol- 
lowing, to  wit : — 

"Historical  Sketches  of  the  Discovery,  Settlement,  and  Pro- 
gress of  Events  in  the  Coos  Country  and  Vicinity,  principally 
included  between  the  years  1754  and  1785.  By  Rev.  Grant 
Powers,  A.  M.,  C.  H.  S." 

The  right  whereof  he  claims  as  author,  in  conformity  with 
an  act  of  Congress,  entitled  "  An  act  to  amend  the  several  acts 
respecting  copy  rights." 

CHARLES  A.  INGERSOLL, 

Clerk  of  the  District  of  Connecticut. 

District  of  Connecticut,  ss. 

The  foregoing  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original  record  of  copy 
right,  recorded  March  9th,  A.  D.  1840. 

Attest,  CHARLES  A.  INGERSOLL, 

Clerk  of  the  District. 

A  true  copy  of  copy  right. 

GRANT  POWERS. 


GaiBtte  Printing  Co. 

Fin*  Book  and  Job  Printer*, 

Northampton,  Matt. 


F 


PREFACE. 


THE  history  of  our  nation  ia  peculiar  in  a  number  of 
things,  but  in  none  more  than  this, — that  it  records  its  own 
origin.  There  is  no  other  nation  that  does  this,  the  Jews 
excepted.  No  one  of  the  present  nations  of  Europe  can  tell 
us  a  word  of  their  earliest  ancestors,  or  even  specify  the  cen- 
tury in  which  their  territory  was  first  taken  possession  of  by 
them,  but  all  is  involved  in  obscurity  as  are  the  years  before 
the  flood.  But  it  is  far  different  with  our  early  history  as  a 
nation.  We  know  the  men  who  said  they  would  be  free,  and 
who  laid  the  foundation  of  this  mighty  republic.  We  know 
whence  they  came,  the  object  for  which  they  came,  the  spot 
to  which  they  came,  and  the  year,  the  month,  and  the  day 
they  took  possession.  Our  nation  owes  a  lasting  debt  of 
gratitude  to  our  ancestors  for  their  fidelity  in  recording  the 
incipient  steps  taken  by  them  in  settling  this  new  world. 
But  with  regret  must  we  say  that  their  descendants  soon 
began  to  relax  in  their  fidelity  in  this  respect,  and  they  con- 
tinued to  decline,  until  their  delinquency  was  almost  entire. 
It  may  well  be  doubted,  whether  more  than  one-half  of  the 
towns  in  New  England  have  any  well-authenticated  history  of 
their  early  settlement,  and  had  not  the  attention  of  the  peo- 
ple been  called  to  this  subject  by  recently  organized  Historical 
Societies,  and  centennial  addresses,  a  very  few  years  had 
buried  all  in  oblivion  with  those  towns  whose  history  was  not 
already  recorded.  There  seems,  truly,  an  anomaly  in  the 
human  character,  inasmuch  as  man  delights  to  retrace  the 
line  of  his  descent  to  his  remotest  ancestry,  and  has  a  strong 
passion  to  live  in  the  memory  of  his  descendants,  and  yet 
possesses  very  little  inclination  to  do  anything  directly  to  fur- 


1066149 


IV  PREFACE. 

nish  the  means  to  his  posterity  of  knowing  that  he  ever 
existed. 

One  reason  for  the  indifference  manifested  towards  record- 
ing present  events,  is  the  general  impression  that  they  can 
have  no  important  bearing  upon  what  is  to  come,  unless  they 
are  such  events  as  greatly  interest  the  community  in  present 
time  —  the  result  of  a  great  battle,  a  revolution  in  a  kingdom, 
or  a  destructive  earthquake.  But  nothing  is  more  delusive 
than  such  an  impression.  What  would  the  inhabitants  of  the 
city  of  London  now  give  for  the  year,  the  month,  and  the 
day,  in  which  the  first  man  pitched  his  tent  on  that  ground  ? 
What  would  they  give  if  they  could  know  his  name,  his 
origin,  whence  he  came,  the  circumstances  in  which  he  came, 
the  object  for  his  coming,  and,  withal,  a  minute  description 
of  the  place  as  it  then  was  ?  An  octavo  pamphlet  of  ten 
pages,  containing  well -authenticated  facts  of  this  kind,  would 
be  worth  millions  sterling  to  the  author  or  proprietor.  And 
the  history  of  our  ancestors'  landing  at  Plymouth  is  infinitely 
more  important  in  our  history  than  the  history  of  the  surren- 
der of  Burgoyne's  army,  or  that  of  Cornwallis.  And  even 
those  occurrences  which  do  not  seem  to  stand  intimately  con- 
nected with  any  great  results,  time  will  often  vest  with  pecul- 
iar interest,  in  the  view  of  posterity.  How  unhappy  is  the 
reflection,  then,  that  the  early  settlement  of  our  towns  should 
be  permitted  to  be  forever  lost  through  the  apathy  or  indiffer- 
ence of  their  inhabitants,  since  the  time  will  certainly  arrive 
when  the  subject  will  be  duly  appreciated,  and  our  descend- 
ants will  reproach  us  for  our  stupidity  and  sloth  in  this 
respect ! 

It  was  in  view  of  these  and  kindred  considerations,  that  the 
author  of  the  following  Sketches  commenced,  sixteen  years 
ago,  visiting  the  survivors  among  the  first  settlers  in  the  Coos 
country,  and  in  some  towns  in  the  vicinity.  He  was  careful 
to  take  down  their  statements  in  their  presence,  and  they 
were  interrogated  upon  almost  all  subjects  here  introduced. 
Some  made  further  communications  under  their  own  hand- 


PREFACE.  V 

writing,  and  he  has  obtained  written  and  published  docu- 
ments, as  far  as  he  was  able,  to  aid  him  in  this  work.  Hut  as 
it  has  been  his  main  design  to  go  back  of  written  and  pub- 
lished documents,  and  to  bring  to  light  things  which  would 
never  have  appeared,  unless  they  were  taken  up  in  a  work  of 
this  kind,  he  could  avail  himself  of  those  documents  but  in  a 
limited  degree  ;  and  in  general,  they  are  introduced  as  corrob- 
orative testimony,  or  explanatory,  merely.  But  he  fears  he 
has  already  raised,  by  his  remarks,  expectations  which  lie  will 
by  no  means  be  able  to  satisfy  ;  and  yet  he  has  done  what  he 
could  with  his  means.  He  could  not  create  means,  and  yet 
had  procured  so  many,  that  he  could  hardly  feel  justified  in 
permitting  them  to  perish  with  himself.  It  will  be  perceived 
that  he  writes  things  grave,  things  trivial,  and  things  import- 
ant, and  this  with  a  view  to  present  as  nearly  as  possible,  to 
the  present  and  future  generations,  the  circumstances,  views, 
feelings,  habits  and  customs  of  our  ancestors. 

Before  he  concludes  these  remarks,  he  begs  leave  to  suggest 
what  he  views  to  be  important  for  every  family,  and  for  every 
town  in  this  nation.  1.  Let  every  family  obtain  as  full  and 
as  correct  a  record  of  their  ancestry  as  is  now  possible,  and 
every  child  take  a  copy,  and  make  additions  as  time  furnishes 
the  means.  2.  Let  every  town  have  its  stated  historian,  who 
shall  delight  in  his  duty,  whose  object  will  be  to  collect  facts 
of  the  aged,  and  by  all  other  means  which  Providence  may 
afford  him  ;  and  to  record  passing  events  of  an  interesting 
nature.  Let  this  record  be  examined  annually  by  the  town 
authorities  and  certified  by  the  town  clerk,  and  then  preserved 
in  the  archives  of  the  town.  Extracts  from  these  documents 
might  furnish  annually  interesting  materials  in  every  state 
for  a  volume  of  Historical  Collections.  And  these  volumes 
would  in  a  few  years  furnish  matter  for  the  richest  history 
that  ever  was  possessed  by  a  nation  on  earth.  He  suggests  it 
to  his  brethren  in  the  ministry,  of  all  denominations,  to  aid 
in  this  cause.  No  class  of  men  in  the  community  enjoy  so 
many  facilities  for  making  such  a  record  —  none  would  derive 


VI  PREFACE. 

more  benefit  from  it,  and  it  is  by  no  means  foreign  to  their 
appropriate  duties.  Brethren,  think  of  it ;  think  seriously, 
and  then  act. 

GRANT  POWERS. 
Ooshen,  Ct.,  Jan.  1st,  1840. 


CoL  Joshua  Howard. 
Hon.  James  Woodward. 
Hon.  Ezekiel  Ladd. 
Mrs.  Ruth  Ladd. 
Mr.  Charles  Wheeler. 
Mrs.  Annis  Wheeler. 
Mr.  John  Page. 
Mrs.  Ruth  Johnston. 
CoL  Joshua  Bailey. 
Mrs.  Mary  Kent. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Tyler. 
Andrew  B.  Peters,   Esq. 
John  Mann,  Esq. 
Col.  Otis  Freeman,  Esq. 
Rev.  Asa  Burton,  D.  D. 
Mr.  Richard  Wallace. 
Mr.  Joel  Strong. 
CoL  Jonathan  Elkins. 

OTHER  AIDS. 

Belknap's  History  of  New  Hampshire. 

Gazetteer  of  New  Hampshire. 

Gazetteer  of  Vermont. 

Eastman's  History  of  Vermont. 

Marshall  s  Life  of  Washington. 

Capt.  Powers'  JournaL 

Rev.  Jared  Sparks'  certified  Copies. 

David  Johnson's  Letters  and  Extracts. 

Rev.  Clark  Perry's  Sketches. 

John  Farmer's  Extracts. 

Mrs.  Abigail  Cross. 

Mrs.  Hannah  Pearson. 

Mrs.  Sally  Johnston. 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES 


OF  THE 


COOS    COUNTRY    AND    VICINITY. 


So  late  as  1760,  there  was  no  settlement  by  the 
English,  in  the  Connecticut  Valley,  above  the  town 
of  Charlestown,  in  New  Hampshire,  which  was 
then  called  "No.  4."  Nor  were  there  more  than 
three  towns  settled  south  of  Charlestown,  in  the 
valley  within  the  present  limits  of  New  Hampshire. 
Hinsdale,  or  "Fort  Dummer,"  was  settled  in  1683. 
Westmoreland,  or  "  No.  2,"  was  settled  in  1741 ; 
Walpole  in  1752. 

These  towns,  with  the  exception  of  Walpole,  were 
all  settled  by  Massachusetts  men  ;  for,  until  1741,  it 
was  supposed  the  north  line  of  Massachusetts  would 
include  these  towns. 

At  Hinsdale  and  Charlestown,  forts  were  built  at 
an  early  period  of  their  settlement,  and  soldiers  were 
stationed  there  for  the  double  purpose  of  affording 

protection  to  the  settlers,  and  arresting  the  progress 
1* 


10  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

of  the  Indians  from  Canada,  while  meditating  incur- 
sions upon  the  frontier  towns  in  Massachusetts. 

And  so  little  interest  did  New  Hampshire  feel  in 
the  settlement  of  the  Connecticut  Valley,  which  has 
been  very  justly  denominated  the  "Garden  of  New 
England,"  that  in  1745,  when  the  Governor  recom- 
mended to  the  Assembly  of  New  Hampshire  the 
taking  and  sustaining  their  newly-acquired  "Fort 
Dummer,"  which  fell  to  them  upon  the  establish- 
ment of  the  line  between  the  two  colonies,  the  lower 
House  declined  the  acceptance  of  this  place  and  that 
of  "  No.  4 ; "  alleging  that  the  fort  was  fifty  miles 
distant  from  any  towns  settled  by  New  Hampshire  ; 
that  they  did  not  own  the  territory  ;  and  that  they 
were  unequal  to  the  expense  of  maintaining  those 
places. 

Nor  was  it  until  1752,  that  the  Governor  of  New 
Hampshire  was  permitted  to  adopt  any  measures  to 
secure  to  that  colony  this  invaluable  tract  of  country. 
"He  then  made  several  grants  of  townships  on  both 
sides  of  the  Connecticut  Kiver,  and  a  plan  was  laid 
for  taking  possession  of  the  "  Rich  Meadows  of 
Cohos,"  *  of  which  they  had  heard  by  hunters  and 
captives  returned. 

The  original  design  was  to  cut  a  road  from  "  No. 

*  Coos  was  spelt  Cohos  and  Cowass  by  our  ancestors. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  11 

4  "  to  the  Cohos  ;  to  lay  out  two  townships,  one  on 
each  side  of  the  river,  and  opposite  to  each  other, 
where  Haverhill  and  Newbury  now  are.  They  were 
to  erect  stockades,  with  lodgements  for  two  hundred 
men,  in  each  township,  enclosing  a  space  of  fifteen 
acres ;  in  the  centre  of  which  was  to  be  a  citadel, 
containing  the  public  buildings  and  granaries,  which 
were  to  be  large  enough  to  receive  all  the  inhabitants 
and  their  movable  effects,  in  case  of  necessity.  As 
an  inducement  for  people  to  remove  to  this  new  plan- 
tation, they  were  to  have  courts  of  judicature,  and 
other  civil  privileges,  among  themselves,  and  were  to 
be  under  strict  military  discipline. 

"In  pursuance  of  this  plan,"  says  Dr.  Belknap, 
vol.  ii.  p.  215,  "a  party  was  sent  up,  in  the  spring 
of  1752,  to  view  the  meadows  of  Cohos,  and  lay  out 
the  proposed  townships."  It  seems  that  this  project 
embraced  the  two  objects  of  possessing  the  Cohos 
country,  and  establishing  a  military  post  there.  It 
was  to  be  partly  civil  and  partly  military,  and  a 
number  of  adventurers  were  about  to  enlist  in  the 
enterprise.  But  the  whole  plan  was  defeated  by  the 
timely  remonstrance  of  the  Indians  of  the  St.  Fran- 
cis tribe.  And  notwithstanding,  Mr.  Belknap  says, 
"A  party  was  sent  up,  in  the  spring  of  1752,  to  view 
the  meadows  of  Cohos,  and  lay  out  the  proposed 


12  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

townships,"  it  is  extremely  doubtful  whether  that 
party  ever  reached  their  destination,  if  they  ever  left 
"No.  4."  There  were  no  returns  made  of  this  tour. 
They  certainly  did  not  lay  out  the  townships.  And 
we  find  in  the  Life  of  General  Stark,  that  in  1754, 
the  General  Court  of  New  Hampshire  determined  to 
send  a  party  to  explore  this  "hitherto  unknown 
region,"  referring  to  the  Cohos  country. 

Now,  if  this  country  had  been  explored  by  the 
party  of  1752,  it  could  not  have  been  called  the 
"hitherto  unexplored  region"  in  1754,  seeing  that, 
in  each  instance,  the  General  Court  is  represented  as 
the  principal  mover  in  these  exploring  parties.  And 
by  the  kindness  of  the  late  Mr.  Farmer,  of  Concord, 
N.  H.,  I  have  been  furnished  with  the  extract  from 
Col.  Israel  Williams'  letter,  to  which  Dr.  Belknap 
refers  for  his  authority  in  saying  what  he  does  of  the 
exploring  party  of  1752.  And  with  the  additional 
evidence  which  has  been  obtained  upon  these  trans- 
actions since  Dr.  Belknap's  time,  I  should  feel  that 
Col.  Williams'  letter  was  insufficient  to  authorize  the 
assertion,  that  a  party  was  actually  sent  into  the 
Cohos  country  in  1752.  It  is  but  a  mere  allusion  to 
such  a  thing,  or  to  such  an  intention. 

The  letter  of  Col.  Williams  was  written  to  the 
Governor  of  Massachusetts,  dated  at  Hatfield,  19 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  13 

March,  1753,  and  speaks  of  "our  people  going  to 
take  a  view  of  the  Cowass  meadows  last  spring." 
This  by  no  means  says  they  did  go  to  view  them, 
but  were  "going,"  or  were  preparing  to  go,  and  view 
them.  And  doubtless  this  was  fact.  A  party  might 
have  been  sent  on  by  the  Governor  as  far  as  "  No. 
4,"  and  even  farther ;  but  the  Indians  remonstrating 
and  threatening,  they  relinquished  their  object.  Dr. 
Belknap  states  that  the  Indians  came  to  "No.  4," 
and  made  this  threat ;  that  it  was  communicated  to 
the  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  and  he  sent  the  in- 
formation to  the  Governor  of  New  Hampshire,  and 
the  project  was  laid  aside.  The  only  discrepancy  in 
all  this  testimony  is  found  in  Dr.  Belknap's  under- 
standing Col.  Williams  to  say  that  the  party  of  1752 
did  go  into  the  Cohos  country,  when  he  did  not  say 
it ;  and  as  the  evidence  is  now  exhibited,  we  must 
think  he  did  not  mean  to  say  it. 

But  notwithstanding  this  project  of  exploring  the 
Cohos  from  "No.  4"  was  suspended,  yet  the  Gov- 
ernor and  House  of  Assembly  did  by  no  means 
abandon  the  idea  of  a  future  possession  of  those 
meadows,  and  events  hastened  their  attempt  to  ex- 
plore and  possess  the  Cohos  country. 

In  the  spring  of  1752,  John  Stark,  afterward 
General  Stark,  Amos  Eastman,  afterward  of  Hollis, 


14  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

N.  H.,  David  Stinson,  of  Londonderry,  and  William 
Stark,  were  hunting  upon  Baker's  Biver,  in  the  town 
of  Rumney.  They  were  surprised  by  a  party  of  ten 
Indians.  John  Stark  and  Amos  Eastman  were  taken 
prisoners,  Stinson  was  killed,  and  William  Stark  es- 
caped by  flight.  John  Stark  and  Eastman  were  car- 
ried into  captivity  to  the  head-quarters  of  the  St. 
Francis  tribe  in  Canada,  and  were  led  directly 
through  the  "  Meadows,"  so  much  talked  of  in 
Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire. 

These  men  returned  from  their  captivity  in  the 
summer  of  1752,  and  gave  an  interesting  account  of 
Cohos ;  and  as  the  country  was  expecting  that  the 
war  with  the  French  and  Indians  would  soon  be 
renewed,  and  that  the  French  would  be  desirous  of 
taking  the  Cohos  country  for  a  military  post,  the 
General  Court  of  New  Hampshire  determined  to 
send  a  company  to  explore  the  region  ;  not  to  at- 
tempt to  ascend  the  Connecticut  from  "No.  4,"  but 
to  pursue  the  track  of  the  Indians  as  they  came  from 
the  great  valley  to  Baker's  River  and  the  Pemige- 
wasset,  and  returned  again  with  their  prisoners. 

Accordingly,  in  the  spring  of  1754,  Col.  Lovewell, 
Maj.  Tolford,  and  Capt.  Page,  were  sent  out  at  the 
head  of  a  company,  with  John  Stark  for  their  guide. 
They  left  Concord,  March  10,  1754,  and  in  seven 


OP    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  15 

days  made  Connecticut  River  at  Piermont.  They 
spent  but  one  night  in  the  valley,  and  made  a  pre- 
cipitate retreat  to  Concord,  at  which  place  they  ar- 
rived on  the  thirteenth  day  from  their  departure.  * 

The  cause  of  this  failure  to  explore  the  region  to 
which  they  were  sent,  I  have  not  learned  ;  but  that 
it  was  a  failure,  we  must  know  —  for  one  night  spent 
in  the  woods  at  Piermont  could  have  returned  to 
the  government  no  information  concerning  the  Coos 
meadows.  The  probability  was,  they  feared  an 
Indian  foe  superior  to  their  own  force. 

But  the  government  was  not  discouraged  by  this 
failure,  and  the  same  season,  1754,  Ca'pt.  Peter 
Powers,  of  Hollis,  N.  H.,  Lieut.  James  Stevens,  and 
Ensign  Ephraim  Hale,  both  of  Towusend,  Mass., 
w«re  appointed  to  march  at  the  head  of  a  company  to 
effect,  if  possible,  what  had  hitherto  been  attempted 
in  vain.  The  company  rendezvoused  at  Concord, 
which  was  then  called  Rumford,  and  commenced 
their  tour  on  Saturday,  June  15,  1754. 

It  may  not  be  improper  to  state  in  this  place,  that 
there  is  no  record  of  this  tour  in  the  state  papers  of 
that  day,  and  no  reference  to  it  in  any  papers  of  sub- 
sequent date,  as  I  can  learn.  The  evidence  of  its 
having  been  performed  consists,  at  this  day,  in  the 
*  Stork's  Life. 


16  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

tradition  among  the  descendants  of  Capt.  Powers, 
that  he  was  the  first  to  explore  the  Coos  country, 
and  in  his  manuscript  journal,  kept  by  himself  du- 
ring his  tour,  recently  found  among  papers  on  file, 
preserved  by  the  late  Samson  Powers,  of  Hollis, 
youngest  son  of  the  said  Peter  Powers.  I  have  also 
the  same  tin  safe,  of  ample  dimensions,  which  con- 
tained his  journal,  and  a  piece  of  his  tent  cloth 
which  was  spread  over  him  at  night,  on  this  very 
expedition. 

The  only  rational  explanation  that  can  be  given 
for  the  silence  of  all  public  records  in  relation  to 
this  exploring  tour,  may  be  found  in  the  loose  man- 
ner in  which  such  things  were  transacted  at  that 
day,  and  in  the  commotion  which  immediately  fol- 
lowed Capt.  Powers'  return  ;  for  already  war  was 
renewed  in  Europe  between  France  and  England, 
and  the  intelligence  of  it  having  reached  Quebec, 
the  Indians  renewed  their  incursions  upon  our  fron- 
tier towns,  and  made  a  descent  upon  Boscawen  a  few 
days  after  the  return  of  the  exploring  company. 
This  suspended  all  further  thought  of  settling  the 
Coos  country  during  the  war  that  was  then  raging, 
and  Capt.  Powers'  report  was  not  called  for,  or  it 
was  lost  during  that  war,  or  the  war  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, which  followed  hard  upon  the  restoration  of 
peace  between  France  and  England. 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  17 

Capt  Powers'  journal  is  not  entire — some  pages  of 
the  returning  expedition  are  lost,  and,  probably,  some 
prefatory  remarks.  I  should  think,  also,  that  it  is 
not  as  full  in  description  as  he  would  have  returned 
to  government,  but  general  facts  noted  to  enable  him 
to  make  out  a  correct  statement  in  things  essential ; 
and,  finally,  it  is  an  interesting  document  of  antiqui- 
ty, and  must  be  so,  especially,  to  the  people  of  Coos, 
who  have  for  a  long  time  felt  an  earnest  desire  to 
know  who  first  explored  that  part  of  the  Great  Val- 
ley. I  shall  give  the  journal  as  it  is  found,  only  cor- 
recting some  of  the  orthography,  and  offering  some 
explanation  in  notes. 


JOURNAL. 

"  Saturday,  June  15th,  1754.  This  day  left  Rum- 
ford,"  (now  Concord,)  "and  marched  to  Contoocook, 
which  is  about  eight  miles,  and  here  tarried  all  night." 

[The  original  Indian  name  of  Concord  was  Pena- 
cook.  From  1733  it  bore  the  name  of  Ruin  ford,  un- 
til 1762,  and  then  took  the  name  Concord.] 

"  Sunday,  June  16th.  This  day  tarried  at  Con- 
toocook, and  went  to  meeting,  and  tarried  here  all 
this  night." 

[Contoocook   was   present   Boscawen.       The  Rev. 


18  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Phinehas  Stevens  was  minister  in  this  place  at  that 
time.] 

Monday,  June  17th.  This  morning  fair  weather, 
and  we  fixed  our  packs,  and  went  and  put  them  on 
board  our  canoes,  about  nine  of  the  clock,  and  some 
of  the  men  went  in  the  canoes,  and  the  rest  on  the 
shore.  And  so  we  marched  up  the  River  Merrimack 
to  the  crotch,  or  parting  thereof ;  and  then  up  the 
Pemigewasset  about  one  mile  and  a  half,  and  camped 
above  the  carrying-place,  which  carrying-place  is 
about  one  hundred  rods  long  ;  and  the  whole  of  this 
day's  march  is  thirteen  miles. 

Tuesday,  June  18th.  This  day  marched  up  the 
Pemigewasset  River,  about  eight  miles,  to  Smith's 
River,  and  then  east  one  hundred  rods,  and  then 
north,  two  hundred  and  twenty  rods,  to  the  long  car- 
rying-place on  Pemigewasset  River,  and  there 
camped." 

[This  encampment,  I  think,  must  have  been  on  or 
near  the  present  line  which  divides  Bristol  from  New 
Chester  upon  the  Pemigewasset.  It  might  be  inter- 
esting to  the  present  inhabitants  of  those  towns  to 
mark  out  the  spot  which  was  thus  occupied  by  swords 
and  bristling  bayonets  in  1754,  whilst  the  whole 
country  around  remained  an  unbroken  wilderness. 
And  what  may  be  true  in  this  case,  may  be  true  of 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  19 

others  in  respect  to  all  places  hereafter  to  be  named 
by  the  exploring  party.] 

"  Wednesday,  June  19th.  We  marched  on  our 
journey,  and  carried  across  the  long  carrying-place  on 
Pemigewasset  River  two  miles  northeast,  which  land 
bath  a  good  soil,  beech  and  maple,  with  a  good  quan- 
tity of  large  masts.  From  the  place  where  we  put  in 
the  canoes,  we  steered  east,  north-east,  up  the  river 
about  one  mile,  and  then  we  steered  north-east  one 
mile,  and  north  six  miles  up  to  Sawheganet  Falls, 
where  we  carried  by  about  four  rods  ;  and  from  the 
falls  we  steered  about  north-east,  to  Pemigewasset  in- 
terval, two  miles,  and  from  the  beginning  of  the  in- 
terval we  made  good  our  course  north  four  miles,  and 
there  camped  on  a  narrow  point  of  land.  The  last 
four  miles  the  river  was  extremely  crooked. " 

"  TJiursday,  June  20th.  We  steered  our  course, 
one  turn  with  another,  which  were  great  turns,  west, 
north-west,  about  two  miles  and  a  half,  to  the  crotch, 
or  parting  of  the  Pemigewasset  River,  at  Baker's 
River  mouth  ;  thence  from  the  mouth  of  Baker's 
River,  up  said  river,  north-west  by  west,  six  miles. 
This  river  is  extraordinary  crooked,  and  good  inter- 
val. Thence  up  the  river  about  two  miles  north- 
west, and  there  we  shot  a  moose,  the  sun  about  a  half 
an  hour  high,  and  there  camped.'' 

[This  must  have  been  in  the  town  of  Rumney.] 


* 
20  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

"  Friday,  June  21st.  We  steered  up  the  said 
Baker's  River  with  our  canoes  about  five  miles  as  the 
river  ran,  which  was  extraordinary  crooked.  In  the 
after  part  of  this  day,  there  was  a  great  shower  of 
' haile  and  raine,'  which  prevented  our  proceeding 
any  further,  and  here  we  camped  ;  and  here  left  our 
canoes,  for  the  water  in  the  river  was  so  shoal  that 
we  could  not  go  with  them  any  further." 

"  Saturday,  June  22d.  This  morning  was  dark 
and  cloudy  weather  ;  but  after  ten  of  the  clock,  it 
cleared  off  hot,  and  we  marched  up  the  river  near  the 
Indian  carrying-place,  from  Baker's  River  to  Connec- 
ticut River,  and  there  camped,  and  could  not  go  any 
further  by  reason  of  a  great  shower  of  rain,  which 
held  almost  all  this  afternoon." 

"  Sunday,  June  23d.  This  morning  dark  and 
cloudy  weather,  and  we  marched  up  this  river  about 
one  mile,  and  came  to  the  Indian  carrying-place,  and, 
by  reason  of  the  dark  weather,  we  were  obliged  to 
.follow  the  marked  way,  that  way  marked  by  Major 
Lovewell  and  Capt.  Tolford,  and  others,  from  Baker's 
River  to  Connecticut  River.  And  this  day's  march 
was  but  about  six  miles  ;  and  we  camped  between 
the  two  first  Baker  Ponds.  And  it  came  on  a  great 
storm  of  rain,  which  prevented  our  marching  any 
further.  And  on  this  day's  march  we  saw  a  consid- 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  21 

erable  quantity  of  white  pine  timber,  and  found  it 
was  something  large,  fit  for  thirty-inch  masts,  as  we 
judged.  But  before  this  day's  march,  we  saw  no 
white  pine  timber,  that  was  very  large,  on  this  Baker's 
River,  but  a  great  quantity  of  small  white  pine,  fit 
for  boards  and  small  masts.  And  on  this  river  there 
is  a  great  quantity  of  excellent  interval,  from  the  be- 
ginning of  it  to  the  place  where  we  left  this  river. 
And  it  layeth  of  a  pretty  equal  proportion  from  one 
end  to  the  other  ;  and  back  of  the  interval,  there  is 
a  considerable  quantity  of  large  mountains." 

[Those  more  familiarly  acquainted  with  the  serpen- 
tine course  of  Baker's  River  than  the  writer,  may  fix 
on  several  encampments  in  Rumney  and  Wentworth 
with  tolerable  accuracy  ;  but  we  shall  all  agree  that, 
at  this  last  date,  they  were  encamped  between  the 
Baker  Ponds,  lying  in  the  north-east  part  of  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Orford.  It  is  a  little  singular  that  it 
should  not  have  been  discovered  until  recently,  that 
the  south-western  branch  of  Baker's  River  afforded 
greater  facilities  for  communication  between  the  Con- 
necticut Valley  and  Pemigewasset  than  those  routes 
which  have  been  hitherto  improved,  seeing  the  In- 
dians had  given  their  preference  to  this  south  branch, 
and  it  was  improved  by  the  first  English  parties 
which  explored  the  country.] 


22  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

"  Monday,  June  24th.  This  morning  it  rained 
hard,  and  all  the  night  past,  and  it  held  raining  all 
this  day,  and  we  kept  our  camp,  and  here  we  stayed 
the  night  ensuing,  and  it  rained  almost  all  night." 

"  Tuesday,  June  25th.  This  morning  fair  weather, 
and  we  swung  our  packs,  the  sun  about  a  half  an  hour 
high,  and  we  marched  along  the  carrying-place,  or 
road  marked,  about  two  miles,  and  then  steered  our 
course  north,  twelve  degrees  west,  about  twelve  miles, 
and  came  to  that  part  of  the  "Coos  interval  that  is 
called  Moose  Meadow.  And  then  steered  our  course 
up  the  river  by  the  side  of  the  interval,  about  north- 
east, and  came  to  a  large  stream  that  came  into  the 
interval,  which  is  here  about  a  mile  wide.  This 
stream  came  out  of  the  east,  and  we  camped  here  this 
night.  There  are  on  this  river  the  best  falls  and  con- 
veniences for  all  sorts  of  mills.  These  falls  are  nearly 
twenty  feet  perpendicular." 

["Moose  Meadow"  must  have  been  the  Indian 
name  for  that  part  of  Coos  which  they  made  first, 
and  I  am  quite  confident  that  some  of  the  old  people 
whom  I  consulted  relative  to  the  first  settlements, 
called  the  meadow  owned  by  Major  Merrill,  in  Pier- 
mont,  "  Moose  Meadow  ; "  but  I  have  no  minute  of  it, 
and  as  at  that  time  I  had  no  knowledge  of  this  doc- 
ument, I  was  not  particular  to  retain  the  locality  of 
Moose  Meadow. 


OP    THE    C008    COUNTRY.  23 

But  we  at  length  find  the  company  encamped  upon 
the  banks  of  the  Oliverian  in  Haverhill,  which  river 
was  then  without  a  name,  as  well  as  Haverhill  it  self. 
They  passed  along,  he  says,  4<  by  the  side  of  the  in- 
terval,"— that  is,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  where  the 
meadows  commence.  He  says  the  interval  was  "  here 
about  a  mile  wide."  He  meant  on  both  sides  of  the 
river.  He  calls  the  Oliverian  a  "large  stream." 
The  heavy  rains,  he  has  already  described,  rendered 
it  such.  The  falls,  I  should  think,  were  accurately 
described.  He  does  not  tell  us  on  which  side  of  the 
Oliverian  he  made  his  encampment;  probably  south, 
upon  the  elevated  platform  formerly  owned  by  Richard 
Gookin ;  or,  if  he  crossed  the  river  that  night,  he 
would  select  the  dry  spot  where  stands  the  dwelling- 
house  of  the  late  Capt.  Joseph  Pearson.  Permit  me, 
kind  reader,  to  add  a  reflection.  How  dark  is  the 
future  with  all  to  whom  God  has  not  revealed  what 
his  future  Providences  shall  be  !  Capt.  Powers,  when 
he  camped  upon  the  banks  of  the  Oliverian,  must 
have  marched  in  his  meandering  course  at  least  sev- 
enty miles,  without  seeing  a  human  habitation  ! 
And  what  had  been  his  astonishment,  if  it  had  been 
revealed  to  him  that  night,  that  his  first-born  son 
should  be  the  minister  of  a  church  and  people  in  that 
place,  in  a  less  time  than  eleven  years  ;  that  he  should 


24  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

sustain  that  relation  nearly  twenty  years  ;  and  that 
his  grandson,  by  his  own  youngest  son,  should  hold 
the  same  station  about  fifteen  years,  from  the  fifty- 
seventh  to  the  seventy-second  year  after  his  decease  ! 
This  would  have  been  an  astounding  vision,  but  no 
more  than  what  time  has  fulfilled.] 

"  Wednesday,  June  26th.  This  morning  fair 
weather,  and  we  marched  up  the  interval  to  the  great 
turn  of  clear  interval,  which  is  the  uppermost  part  of 
the  clear  interval,  on  the  westerly  side  of  Connecticut 
River,  and  there  came  a  great  shower  of  rain,  which 
held  almost  all  this  afternoon  ;  and  we  camped  by 
the  river  on  the  easterly  side,  above  all  the  clear  in- 
terval ;  and  this  day's  march  was  about  six  miles,  and 
very  crooked." 

[It  will  appear,  as  we  advance  in  these  sketches, 
that  the  Little  Ox  Bow  on  Haverhill  side,  and  the 
Great  Ox  Bow  on  Newbury  side,  were  cleared  inter- 
val when  the  first  settlers  came  in.  They  had  been 
cleared  and  cultivated  to  some  extent  by  the  Indians, 
and  this  is  the  fact  to  which  the  journal  alludes. 
Their  encampment  was  on  the  well-known  Porter 
place. ] 

"  Thursday,  June  27th.  This  morning  it  was 
cloudy  weather,  and  it  began  to  rain,  the  sun  about 
an  hour  high,  and  we  marched,  nothwithstanding, 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  25 

up  the  river  to  Amonoosuck  River,  and  our  course 
was  about  north,  distance  about  five  miles  ;  and  we 
camped  here,  for  the  River  Amonoosuck  was  so  high 
we  could  not  go  over  it  without  a  canoe ;  for  it  was 
swift  water,  and  near  twenty  rods  wide.  This  after- 
noon it  cleared  off  fair,  and  we  went  about  our  canoe, 
and  partly  built  it.  Some  of  our  men  went  up  the 
River  Amonoosuck,  to  see  what  discoveries  they 
could  make  ;  and  they  discovered  excellent  land,  and 
a  considerable  quantity  of  large  white  pines." 

"Friday,  June  28th.  This  morning  fair  weather, 
and  we  went  about  the  canoe,  and  completed  the 
same  by  about  twelve  of  the  clock  this  day,  and  went 
over  the  river  ;  and  we  concluded  to  let  the  men  go 
down  the  river  in  the  canoe,  who  were  not  likely  to 
perform  the  remaining  part  of  the  journey,  by  reason 
of  sprains  in  the  ankles,  and  weakness  of  body. 
They  were  four  in  number  ;  and  we  steered  our  course 
for  the  great  interval  about  east,  north-east  ;  and  we 
this  day  marched,  after  we  left  the  river,  about  ten 
miles.  And  the  land  was  exceedingly  good  upland, 
and  some  quantity  of  white  pine,  but  not  thick,  but 
some  of  them  fit  for  masts." 

[These   four  men,  it  would  seem,  were  about  to 
take  their  chance  upon  the  river,  and  to  return  by 
the  way  of  Charlestown.] 
2 


26  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

"  Saturday,  June  29th.  This  morning  was  cloudy 
but  we  swung  our  packs,  and  steered  our  course 
about  north-east,  ten  miles,  and  came  to  Connecti- 
cut River.  There  it  came  on  rainy,  and  we  camped 
by  the  side  of  the  river,  and  it  rained  all  this  after- 
noon, and  we  kept  our  camp  all  this  night.  The  land 
was,  this  day's  march,  very  good,  and  it  may  be  said 
as  good  as  ever  was  seen  by  any  of  us.  The  common 
growth  of  wood  was  beech  and  maple,  and  not  thick 
at  all.  It  hath  a  great  quantity  of  small  brooks. 
This  day  and  the  day  past,  there  were  about  three 
brooks  fit  for  corn-mills  ;  and  these  were  the  largest 
of  the  brooks  that  we  saw." 

[It  seems  that  the  march  of  the  two  last  days  was 
made  between  the  valley  of  the  Connecticut,  and  that 
of  the  Amonoosuck,  upon  the  high  lands  of  Bath, 
Lyinan,  and  Littleton,  and  we  now  find  them  en- 
camped in  the  southern  part  of  Dalton.] 

"  Sunday,  June  30th.  This  morning  exceeding 
rainy  weather,  and  it  rained  all  the  night  past,  and 
continued  raining  until  twelve  of  the  clock  this  day  ; 
and  after  that,  it  was  fair  weather,  and  we  marched 
along  up  Connecticut  Eiver ;  and  our  course  we 
made  good  this  day,  was  about  five  miles,  east  by 
north,  and  there  came  to  a  large  stream,  which  came 
from  the  south-east.  This  river  is  about  three  rods 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  27 

wide,  and  we  called  it  Stark's  River,  by  reason  of 
Ensign  John  Stark's  being  found  by  the  Indians  at 
the  mouth  of  this  river.  This  river  comes  into  the 
Connecticut  at  the  foot  of  the  upper  interval,  and 
thence  we  travelled  up  the  interval  about  seven  miles, 
and  came  to  a  large  river  which  came  from  the  south- 
east ;  and  it  is  about  five  rods  wide.  Here  we  con- 
cluded to  go  no  further  with  the  full  scout,  by  reason 
of  our  provisions  being  almost  all  spent ;  and  almost 
all  our  men  had  worn  out  their  shoes.  This  river  we 
called  Powers'  River,  it  being  the  camping  place  at 
the  end  of  our  journey  ;  and  there  we  camped  by  the 
river." 

[It  seems  that  John  Stark  had  been  taken  twice 
by  the  Indians  while  on  his  hunting  expeditions — 
once  on  Stark's  River,  and  once  on  Baker's  River. 
The  river  which  they  named  Stark's  River  runs 
through  Dal  ton,*  and  is  now  called  John's  River,  be- 
cause Stark's  name  was  John,  perhaps  ;  but  I  think 
they  had  better  preserved  the  original  name,  and  this 
would  have  perpetuated  a  historical  fact,  and  borne 
up  a  name  that  the  whole  town  would  delight  to 
cherish  among  them  ;  but  who  is  to  know  whether 
this  is  John  Stark's  River,  or  John  Smith's  River,  or 
any  other  John's  River  ?  The  river  they  called 
Powers'  River  is  in  Lancaster,  and  is  now  called 


28  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Israel's  River.  This,  too,  I  think,  ought  to  bear  the 
name  they  gave  it,  instead  of  a  wandering,  and  per- 
haps a  worthless  hunter.  Capt.  Powers  was  the  first 
man  of  English  descent  who  ever  visited  that  town 
for  discovery.  He  did  it  in  imminent  peril,  and  for 
the  good  of  his  country.  How  much  more  gratify- 
ing it  would  be  to  the  present  inhabitants  of  that 
town,  and  to  all  future  generations  of  theirs,  did  they 
bear  upon  their  river  the  name  of  the  first  man  who 
ever  by  authority  discovered  their  town  !  There  has 
been  much  wrong  in  these  things  in  many  of  our 
towns.  Our  worthy  ancestors,  who  bore  the  toils  and 
went  through  the  perils  of  exploring  and  settling  our 
forests,  and  of  subduing  them,  richly  merited  this 
cheap  method  of  perpetuating  a  memorial  of  them- 
selves. I  do  not  attach  blame  to  the  people  of  Lan- 
caster for  this — for  they  may  not  know,  to  this  day, 
that  such  a  company  ever  visited  their  town,  or  that 
their  river  was  ever  formally  named  by  persons  under 
authority  ;  but  these  are  the  facts.  There  is  no  rec- 
ord in  the  journal  of  any  transaction  on  the  first  day 
of  July.  It  was  probably  spent  in  inactivity  and 
rest.  J 

"  Tuesday,  July  3d.  This  morning  fair  weather, 
and  we  thought  proper  to  mend  our  shoes,  and  to  re- 
turn homeward  ;  and  accordingly  we  went  about  the 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  29 

same ;  and  whilst  the  men  were  this  way  engaged, 
the  captain,  with  two  of  his  men,  marcljed  up  the 
river  to  see  what  further  discoveries  they  could  make, 
and  they  travelled  about  five  miles,  and  there  they 
discovered  where  the  Indians  had  a  large  camping 
place,  and  had  been  making  canoes,  and  had  not 
been  gone  above  one  or  two  days  at  most  ;  and  so  they 
returned  to  the  rest  of  the  men  again  about  twelve 
of  the  clock  ;  and  then  we  returned,  and  marched 
down  the  river  to  Stark's  River,  and  there  camped. 
This  afternoon  it  rained  hard,  but  we  were  forced  to 
travel  for  want  of  provisions.  This  interval  is  ex- 
ceedingly large,  and  the  farther  up  the  larger.  The 
general  course  of  this  river  is  from  north-east  b^  east, 
as  far  as  the  interval  extends." 

[The  captain  and  his  two  men  penetrated,  proba- 
bly, as  far  as  present  Northumberland,  and  must 
have  travelled  nearly  one  hundred  and  forty  miles 
after  they  left  the  habitations  of  civilized  men.  At 
Northumberland  they  first  fell  upon  the  trail  of  In- 
dians, where  they  had,  probably,  been  preparing 
themselves  canoes  to  enable  them  to  descend  upon 
our  frontier  settlements.] 

"  Wednesday,  July  3d.  This  morning  cloudy, 
weather,  and  thundered  ;  and  after  the  sun  an  hour 
high,  it  rained  hard,  and  continued  about  an  hour, 


30  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

and  then  we  swung  packs,  and  steered  our  course 
west-south.- west,  aiming  for  Amonoosuck  Kiver  ;  and 
this  day  we  marched  about  fourteen  miles,  and 
camped." 

[We  shall  perceive  that,  for  the  last  twelve  days  of 
their  march,  the  rain  had  fallen  in  unusual  abun- 
dance for  that  season  of  the  year  ;  and  it  would  not 
be  strange  if  they  spoke  of  some  small  streams  as  lar- 
ger than  they  are  ordinarily  found,  especially  since 
the  clearing  of  the  country  ;  but  as  far  as  my  knowl- 
edge extends,  they  were  not  far  from  present  truth 
concerning  them  ;  and  as  it  regards  distances,  they 
were  remarkably  accurate,  seeing  they  were  in  a  wil- 
derness, followed  the  course  of  streams,  and  did  not 
carry  a  chain.] 

"  Thursday,  July  4th.  We  marched  on  our  course 
west-south-west,  and  this  day  we  marched  about 
twenty  miles,  and  camped." 

[This  was  the  day  on  which  the  Delegates  from  six 
of  the  Colonies  signed,  at  Albany,  articles  of  union 
for  mutual  government  and  defence,  anticipating  the 
renewal  of  war  between  France  and  England,  "  ex- 
actly twenty-two  years  before  the  declaration  of 
American  independence." — Belknap,~\ 

''Friday,  July  5th.  We  marched  about  three 
miles  to  our  packs  at  Amonoosuck,  the  same  course 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  31 

we  had  steered  heretofore  ;  and  we  afterwards  went 
over  Connecticut  River,  and  looked  up  Wells'  River, 
and  camped  a  little  below  Wells'  River  this  night." 

[At  the  west  end  of  the  bridge,  perhaps,  leading 
from  Haverhill  to  Wells'  River.] 

"  Saturday,  July  6th.  Marched  down  the  great 
river  to  Great  Coos,  and  crossed  the  river  below  the 
great  turn  of  clear  interval,  and  there  left  the  great 
river,  and  steered  south  by  east  about  three  miles, 
and  there  camped.  Here  was  the  best  of  upland, 
and  some  quantity  of  large  white  pines." 

[I  think  they  crossed  into  Harerhill  at  the  "  Dow 
Farm,"  so  called,  and  the  three  miles  brought  them 
to  Haverhill  Corner,  and  their  description  of  it  an- 
swers to  the  description  given  by  the  first  settlers. 
I  would  say  to  the  people  of  Haverhill  Corner,  that 
eighty-five  years  ago,  on  the  sixth  of  July  last,  (1839,) 
your  Common  was  the  encampment  of  an  exploring 
company,  sent  out  by  the  government  of  England  ; 
that  this  company  felt  themselves  surrounded  by  a 
vast  wilderness  ;  and,  while  the  towering  trees  of  the 
forest  formed  their  canopy,  they  confided  in  their 
own  vigilance  and  prowess,  under  God,  to  protect 
them  from  beasts  of  prey  and  savage  men.  Well  may 
you  exclaim,  while  in  your  ceiled  houses,  and  while 
surveying  from  your  windows  your  ample  fields  and 
meadows,  What  hath  God  wrought  f] 


32  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

I  must  inform  the  reader  that,  at  this  point  of 
time,  the  journal  ceases  to  speak  of  their  homeward 
march,  and  no  trace  of  the  remainder  can  be  found. 
"We  are  left  to  suppose  that  they  retraced  their  steps 
the  way  they  came,  with  hostile  Indians  pressing  hard 
in  their  rear ;  for  we  learn  from  Belknap  that  by  the 
fifteenth  of  August,  of  that  year,  they  were  at  Bak- 
erstown  and  vicinity,  (now  Salisbury,)  killing  and 
taking  captive  the  inhabitants. 

From  this  time  until  the  fall  of  Quebec  into  the 
possession  of  the  British  in  1759,  no  more  efforts 
were  made  to  discover  and  settle  new  territories,  but 
every  man  had  as  much  as  he  could  do  to  retain  what 
he  had  already  in  possession.  Nor  does  it  appear  that 
any  steps  were  taken  towards  the  settlement  of  the 
Connecticut  Valley  in  1760  ;  for  our  men  were  still 
employed  in  Canada  in  gathering  up  the  fragments 
of  the  French  armies  which  were  stationed  in  differ- 
ent places,  and  had  not  as  yet  surrendered  to  the 
English.  But  in  1761,  when  the  Colonies  no  longer 
feared  the  incursions  of  the  French  and  Indians  upon 
their  frontier  towns,  the  spirit  of  emigration  from 
the  older  settlements,  and  of  extending  their  pos- 
sessions, revived,  and  surpassed  all  that  had  been  be- 
fore witnessed.  Men  from  Connecticut,  Massachu- 
setts, and  New  Hampshire  were  now  preparing  to 


OP    THE  COOS  COUNTRY.  33 

transplant  themselves  into  the  then  great  western 
valley  of  the  Connecticut,  and  the  Governor  of  New 
Hampshire  did  not  let  slip  the  golden  opportunity  of 
filling  his  coffers.  In  every  township  granted  to  pe- 
titioners, five  hundred  acres  of  land  were  reserved 
for  the  Governor,  without  fees  or  charges,  and  he  was 
well  rewarded  by  petitioners  for  his  services.  No 
less  than  sixty  townships  were  granted  on  the  west 
side  of  Connecticut  River,  and  eighteen  on  the  east 
side,  in  the  year  1761.  At  this  time,  New  Hamp- 
shire claimed  all  the  land  west  to  New  York  line. 

The  reason  which  Mr.  Belknap  gives  for  the  great 
rush  into  the  Connecticut  Valley  at  this  time  is,  that 
the  continual  passing  of  troops  through  these  lands 
during  the  war,  caused  the  value  of  them  to  be  more 
generally  known.  This  was  undoubtedly  true,  es- 
pecially after  the  successes  of  the  English  at  Ticon- 
deroga,  Crown  Point,  and  in  Canada  in  1759.  There 
was  then  no  danger  to  be  apprehended  from  the  ene- 
my, and  il  is  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  Massa- 
chusetts and  New  Hampshire  men,  returning  from 
those  successful  campaigns,  would  make  the  tour  of 
Lake  Champlain  and  North  River  to  Albany,  rather 
than  cross  the  highlands  of  Vermont,  and  descend 
the  Connecticut  River,  a  tour  which  some  of  them 
must  have  previously  made  while  captives  to  the 
French  and  Indians.  *2 


34  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

This  fact,  in  connection  with  Capt.  Powers'  jour- 
nal of  an  earlier  date  by  some  years,  convinces  me 
that  the  traditionary  tales  which  have  been  so  long 
rife  in  the  Coos  country,  that  their  fathers  were  in- 
debted for  the  discovery  of  their  country  to  Major 
Rogers'  famished  men,  as  they  fled  from  the  infuria- 
ted Indians  of  the  St.  Francis  tribe  in  1759,  are  all 
apocryphal.  The  truth  is,  when  Major  Rogers  dis- 
banded his  men  for  their  greater  safety,  he  appointed 
them  to  rendezvous  at  the  Upper  Coos,  says  Belknap  ; 
which  could  not  have  been  done,  if  the  place  had  not 
been  known.  Some  of  Rogers'  men,  no  doubt,  made 
the  Coos,  and  some  passed  through  it,  whilst  others 
there  perished,  whose  remains  were  found  by  the  first 
settlers  ;  but  those  who  survived  that  disastrous  re- 
treat were  the  last  men  in  the  world  to  give  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  country  through  which  they  passed,  whilst 
hunger,  like  an  armed  man,  was  threatening  them 
with  dissolution  at  every  step. 

The  tradition,  that  speaks  of  a  company  of  men 
sent  up  the  river  as  far  as  Coos,  for  the  relief  of  Rog- 
ers' men,  and  of  their  returning  just  when  Rogers' 
men  came  up  to  witness  the  yet  living  embers  of  the 
fires  they  had  left  behind  them,  must  also  be  fabu- 
lous. Rogers  left  Crown  Point  with  two  hundred 
rangers  on  the  thirteenth  of  September,  1759,  to  de- 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  35 

stroy  the  Indians  at  St.  Francis,  who  had  committed 
so  many  depredations  and  cruelties  upon  onr  border 
inhabitants.  They  were  sent  out  with  the  utmost 
secrecy.  On  the  5th  of  October  he  struck  the  fatal 
blow,  and  commenced  his  retreat,  which  terminated 
disastrously  to  many.  How  could  the  people  of  New 
•  Hampshire  know  of  this  expedition  ?  How  in  time 
to  make  this  provision  ?  And  how  could  they  know 
that  their  aid  would  be  needed,  or  where  it  would  be 
needed  ? 

The  probability  is,  that  the  Indians  discovered  the 
exploring  party  of  Captain  Powers  in  1754,  and  re- 
lated the  fact  to  the  early  settlers,  and  imagination 
soon  connected  the  two  events  of  Powers'  exploration 
and  Rogers'  retreat,  giving  the  latter  as  the  cause  of 
the  former.  My  view  of  this  subject  is,  that  the  first 
information  which  our  people  received  of  the  "  Coos 
Meadows  "was  derived  from  Indians,  hunters,  and 
captives.  The  second  source  of  intelligence  was  from. 
Captain  Powers  and  his  company.  And  the  third 
was  from  the  soldiers  of  the  old  French  war.  But  it 
is  time  that  I  proceed  to  the  settlement  of  the 
"  Cukos  Meadows" 

There  were  two  men  who  were  the  principal  agents 
in  the  first  settlement  of  Haverhill  and  Newbury  in 
the  Coos  country,  Col.  Jacob  Bailey,  of  Newbury, 


36  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Mass.,  and  Capt.  John  Hazen,  of  Haverhill,  Mass. 
They  were  hoth  officers  in  the  old  French  war,  and 
stood  high  in  the  estimation  of  government.  It  is 
supposed  that  they  were  taught  to  expect  each  a  char- 
ter of  a  township  in  the  Coos,  if  they  went  on  and 
commenced  settlements  therein.  They  agreed  to  act 
in  conjunction,  and  to  proceed  harmoniously  in  the 
undertaking.  Hazen  was  to  go  on  first,  and  take 
possession  of  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  Bailey 
was  to  take  possession  of  the  west  side  as  soon  as  he 
could  find  persons  to  do  it,  and  come  on  himself  as 
soon  as  his  affairs  at  home  would  permit. 

Accordingly,  Capt.  Hazen  sent  on  two  men  with 
his  cattle  in  the  summer  of  1761,  viz.,  Michael 
Johnston  and  John  Pettie.  They  came  from  Haver- 
hill,  Mass.,  by  No.  4,  or  Charlestown,  and  then  up 
the  Connecticut  River.  They  took  possession  of  the 
Little  Ox  Bow,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  in  the 
north  parish  of  Haverhill,  N.  H.  They  found  this 
Ox  Bow,  and  the  Great  Ox  Bow  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  "cleared  interval"  according  to  what  Capt. 
Powers  states  in  his  journal ;  and  they  had  in  former 
years  been  cultivated  by  the  Indians  for  the  growth 
of  Indian  corn.  The  hills  were  swarded  over,  and  a 
tali  wild  grass  grew  spontaneously  and  luxuriantly, 
so  that  an  abundance  of  fodder  for  the  cattle  was 
easily  procured. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  37 

The  Indians  dwelt  at  this  time  on  these  meadows, 
east  and  west  of  the  river,  and  were  amicable.  The 
loss  of  their  strong  ally,  the  French,  and  the  chas- 
tisement which  Rogers  inflicted  upon  their  brethren 
at  St.  Francis,  had  cooled  their  ardor,  and  rendered 
the  idea  of  our  men  taking  possession  of  those  mea- 
dows far  more  acceptable  to  them  than  it  was  in 
1752,  when  they  threatened  war  in  case  the  country 
was  explored  for  the  purpose  of  settlement.  It  was 
not  wonderful  that  the  Indians  should  feel  deep  re- 
pugnance at  the  idea  of  losing  this  country.  It  was 
a  fine  country  for  them.  It  was  easy  of  cultivation, 
and  suited  to  their  imperfect  means.  The  soil  was 
rich.  The  river  abounded  in  salmon,  and  the 
streams  in  trout,  and  the  whole  country  was  plenti- 
fully supplied  with  game,  bear,  deer,  moose,  and 
fowls.  It  was  the  half-way  resting  place  between  the 
Canadas  and  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic  ;  and  while 
this  was  retained,  it  was  the  key  that  opened  the 
door  to,  or  shut  it  against,  the  most  direct  communi- 
cation between  the  Colonies  and  the  Canadas.  And, 
what  was  more  than  all  to  the  Indians,  it  was  their 
fathers'  sepulchre. 

I  cannot  but  marvel  somewhat  at  the  conclusion  of 
the  Rev.  Clark  Perry,  in  his  "Annals  and  Historical 
Sketches  of  Newbury,  Vt.,  1831."  He  says,  p.  24, 


38  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

""It  does  not  appear  that  this  section  of  country  was 
•ever  the  permanent  abode  of  Indians."  Bnt  why  it 
should  not  have  been,  I  cannot  conjecture.  Certainly 
there  was  no  spot  in  New  England  which  could  have 
presented  to  the  Indian  greater  inducements  for  a 
permanent  abode ;  and  we  know  of  no  one  place  in 
New  England  which  has  exhibited  stronger  indica- 
tions of  Indian  settlements. 

I  have  a  communication  from  David  Johnson, 
Esq.,  of  Newbury,  touching  this  point,  and  I  think 
the  evidence  he  gives  of  an  old  Indian  settlement  in 
that  place  is  conclusive.  No  man  is  better  qualified 
to  judge  impartially  and  correctly  in  this  matter  than 
Mr.  Johnson.  He  has  always  lived  on  the  place  of 
which  he  speaks,  and  he  is  a  gentleman  who  feels  the 
liveliest  interest  in  antiquities ;  has  been  accumu- 
lating facts  of  this  kind  for  many  years;  and  I  would 
•embrace  this  opportunity  to  express  my  obligations  to 
him  for  his  prompt  and  persevering  aid  in  the  work 
before  me.  I  shall  put  down  his  communication  as  I 
have  received  it. 

"  On  the  high  ground,  east  of  the  mouth  of  Cow 
Meadow  Brook,  and  south  of  the  three  large  project- 
ing rocks,  were  found  many  indications  of  an  old 
and  extensive  Indian  settlement.  There  were  many 
domestic  implements.  Among  the  rest  were  a  stone 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  39 

mortar  and  pestle.  The  pestle  I  have  seen.  Heads 
of  arrows,  large  quantities  of  ashes,  and  the  ground 
burnt  over  to  a  great  extent,  are  some  of  the  marks 
of  a  long  residence  there.  The  burnt  ground  and 
ashes  were  still  visible  the  last  time  it  was  ploughed. 
On  the  meadow,  forty  or  fifty  rods  below,  near  the 
rocks  in  the  river,  was  evidently  a  burying  ground. 
The  remains  of  many  of  the  sons  of  the  forest  are 
there  deposited.  Bones  have  frequently  been  turned 
up  by  the  plough.  That  they  were  buried  in  the 
sitting  posture,  peculiar  to  the  Indians,  has  been 
ascertained. " 

"  When  the  first  settlers  came  here,  the  remains  of 
a  fort  were  still  visible  on  the  Ox  Bow,  a  dozen  or 
twenty  rods  from  the  east  end  of  Moses  Johnson's 
lower  garden,  on  the  south  side  of  the  lane.  The 
size  of  the  fort  was  plain  to  be  seen.  Trees  about 
as  large  as  a  man's  thigh  were  growing  in  the  cir- 
cumference of  the  old  fort.  A  profusion  of  white 
flint-stones  and  heads  of  arrows  may  yet  be  seen  scat- 
tered over  the  ground.  It  is  a  tradition  which  I 
have  frequently  heard  repeated,  that  after  the  fight 
with  Lovewell,  the  Indians  said  they  should  now  be 
obliged  to  leave  Coossuck."  * 

It  will  appear  in  the  sequel  of  these  sketches,  that 

*  Our  Cooa. 


40  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

at  a  remote  period,  there  was  an  intimate  connection 
between  the  Indians  of  Coos,  of  Maine,  and  of  the 
St.  Francis.  The  connection  between  the  Coos  and 
St.  Francis  tribe  continued  until  the  last. 

We  now  return  to  Johnston  and  Pettie,  whom  we 
have  left  on  the  Little  Ox  Bow.  They  made  them- 
selves a  booth,  and  built  a  shed  for  their  cattle,  and 
spent  the  subsequent  winter  in  feeding  out  the  hay 
they  had  gathered  during  the  summer.  One  would 
suppose  that  these  individuals  must  have  felt  them- 
selves sufficiently  solitary  from  November,  1761,  to 
June,  1762,  not  having,  for  a  great  part  of  this  time, 
a  white  man  within  sixty  miles  of  them,  yet  sur- 
rounded with  Indians,  and  their  cattle  a  temptation 
for  the  latter  to  massacre  them,  that  they  might  seize 
upon  the  booty.  But  they  survived  the  winter  un- 
harmed, and  in  the  spring  of  1762,  Capt.  Hazen 
came  to  their  relief,  with  hands  and  materials  for 
building  a  grist-mill  and  saw-mill,  where  the  Swazey 
mills  now  stand. 

But  before  Capt.  Hazen  arrived,  a  family  had 
come  into  Newbury^  by  the  name  of  Sleeper.  In 
March,  1762,  Glazier  Wheeler,  from  Shutesbury, 
Mass.,  came  up  with  a  brother  of  his,  to  hunt  near 
the  head  of  the  Connecticut  River,  and  while  on  the 
way,  they  fell  in  with  Samuel  Sleeper  and  his  family, 


OP    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  41 

at  Charlestown.  They  were  from  Hampton,  N.  H. 
Sleeper  was  a  Quaker  preacher,  but  was  now  em- 
ployed by  General  Jacob  Bailey  to  proceed  to  New- 
bury,  and  take  possession  until  the  general  could 
come  on  in  person.  Sleeper  contracted  with  Wheeler 
to  take  him  and  his  family  on  to  his  semi-sleigh  and 
semi-sled,  and  carry  them  to  Newbury. 

Sleeper  pitched  his  tent  a  little  south  of  where  the 
Kents  now  live,  and  have  long  lived.  Thomas 
Chamberlain  next  came  from  Dunstable,  N.  H.,  and 
settled  on  "Mushquash  Meadow,"  south  of  the 
"Great  Ox  Bow,"  and  a  little  at  the  north-west  of 
the  ferry  at  the  Dow  farm.  Richard  Chamberlain 
came  on  next  from  Hinsdale,  N.  H.,  and  settled 
on  Mushquash  Meadow.  Chamberlain  landed  at  the 
ferry  about  noon  with  his  family.  Before  night,  a 
hut  was  erected  of  posts  and  bark,  which  served  them 
three  months  for  a  habitation.  In  the  centre  stood  a 
large  stump,  which  was  their  table.  The  house  he 
afterward  erected  stood  near  Josiah  Little's  barn,  not 
far  from  the  river.  The  old  cellar  may  yet  be  seen. 

These  two  Chamberlains  were  not  in  the  interest  of 
Hazen  or  Bailey,  but  were  employed  to  come  on  and 
take  possession  for  one  Oliver  Willard,  of  Northfield, 
Mass.,  who  was  endeavoring  to  supplant  Bailey  and 
Hazen.  But  the  latter  being  united  in  their  peti- 


42  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

tions  for  grants  ;  being  also  in  favor  with  the  Gov- 
ernor, and  having  taken  possession  by  their  agents 
prior  to  Willard,  succeeded,  and  Willard  failed. 
Willard's  disappointment  was  great,  and  his  anger 
violent.  He  gave  out  vaunting  threats  that  if  he 
could  catch  Hazen  out  of  the  settlement,  he  would 
flog  him  to  his  heart's  content.  Hazen,  however, 
had  seen  too  many  tomahawks  and  bristling  bayonets 
around  the  walls  of  Quebec  to  be  greatly  disquieted 
by  a  threat  of  this  kind.  But  these  two  men  after- 
ward met  in  Charlestown,  and  upon  Willard's  at- 
tempting to  execute  his  promise,  he  caught  the 
severest  flogging  that  any  man  need  receive,  and  this 
terminated  the  matter. 

This  same  year,  1762,  John  Hazleton,  from  Hamp- 
stead,  N.  H.,  moved  into  Newbury,  and  first  lived  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill,  south  of  the  Johnson  village, 
but  afterward  settled  in  the  south 'part  of  the  town, 
where  Col.  Moody  Chamberlain  now  lives,  near  the 
south  bridge.  In  this  family,  in  1763,  before  they 
moved  from  the  Ox  Bow,  the  first  English  child  was 
born  in  this  town — Betsey  Hazleton,  now  the  Widow 
Lovewell,  of  the  north  parish  in  Haverhill,  in  her 
77th  year. 

The  same  year,  the  first  male  child  of  English 
descent  was  born  in  the  family  of  Thomas  Chamber- 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  43 

lain,  and  was  called  Jacob  Bailey  Chamberlain.  The 
parents  of  this  son  received  a  hundred  acres  of  land, 
as  a  bounty,  according  to  a  promise  of  the  original 
proprietor,  that  the  first  mother  of  a  son  born  in 
that  settlement  should  receive  one  hundred  acres  of 
land. 

I  now  return  to  Hazen  and  his  party.  I  have  said 
he  came  on  in  the  spring  of  1762,  with  men  and  ma- 
terials for  building  a  saw-mill  and  grist-mill  where 
the  Swazey  mills  now  stand.  With  Hazen  came  Col. 
Joshua  Howard,  of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  born  April  24, 
1740.  He  was  then  22  years  of  age,  and  lived  in 
Haverhill  until  January  7th,  1839,  almost  99  years  of 
age.  He  was  a  man  of  strict  veracity,  and  at  the 
time  when  he  gave  his  narration  of  events  in  the 
early  settlement  of  these  towns  (July  27,  1824),  he 
was  of  sound  mind  and  good  memory.  I  am  much 
indebted  to  him  for  materials  in  these  sketches. 

Howard  labored  that  first  season  in  preparing  the 
timbers  for  the  mills,  and  was  present  at  the  raising 
of  them.  He  relates  one  providential  escape  from 
death  at  the  raising  of  those  mills,  which  deserves 
notice.  One  of  their  company,  John  Hughs,  an 
Irishman,  fell  from  the  frame,  sixteen  feet,  and 
struck  perpendicularly  upon  the  mud-sill,  head  down- 
wards, without  any  thing  to  abate  the  force  of  the 


44  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

fall.  He  was  taken  up  without  signs  of  life  ;  but 
Glazier  Wheeler,  from  Newbury,  found  a  penknife 
with  the  company,  and  opened  a  vein,  and  after  the 
loss  of  blood,  he  revived,  and  soon  recovered  from 
the  tremendous  blow.  Physicians  and  surgeons, 
those  comfortable  adjuncts  to  an  improved  state  of 
society,  were  then  out  of  the  question,  and  every 
mind,  in  such  an  emergency,  was  put  upon  its  own 
resources.  But  I  have  a  tale  more  melancholy  to 
relate. 

Johnson  and  Pettie,  who  had  spent  the  winter  in 
solitariness,  now  thought  of  visiting  their  friends  at 
the  east ;  and  preparing  themselves  a  canoe,  they 
took  their  departure  in  June,  intending  to  descend 
the  river  to  Charlestown.  They  made  their  way 
pleasantly  until  they  came  near  the  mouth  of  White 
Eiver,  in  Lebanon.  Here  they  were  drawn  into  a 
whirlpool ;  their  canoe  was  upset,  and  they  were 
plunged  into  the  river.  Johnston  made  every  effort 
to  reach  the  shore,  but  sunk  into  the  arms  of  death. 
Pettie,  being  the  better  swimmer,  gained  the  shore, 
and  was  enabled  to  bear  the  melancholy  tidings  of 
Johnston's  death  to  his  friends. 

Some  time  after  this  event,  a  stranger,  passing  up 
the  river  in  a  boat,  discovered  the  body  of  a  man 
lying  upon  the  shore  of  a  small  island  in  the  river 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  45 

between  Lebanon,  N.  H.,  and  Hartford,  Vt.  Not 
knowing  anything  of  Johnston  or  of  his  fate,  and 
being  far  from  any  settlement,  he  performed  the 
kindest  office  to  a  stranger  corpse  which  remained  in 
his  power.  He  digged  a  grave  in  the  best  manner 
he  could,  interred  the  body,  and  left  it  the  sole 
proprietor  of  the  island.  It  now  bears  his  name, 
"  Johnston's  Island."  He  is  still  the  only  occupant, 
and  will  probably  remain  such,  until  the  Great  Pro- 
prietor of  the  world  shall  assert  his  claim,  recall  the 
dead,  and  extinguish  all  earthly  titles.  Col.  Charles 
Johnston,  brother  of  Michael  Johnston,  after  he 
came  to  Haverhill,  and  learned  the  resting  place  of 
his  brother,  went  down  to  the  island,  found  the 
lonely  grave,  bedewed  it  with  his  tears,  erected  a 
monument  to  his  brother's  memory,  and  resigned  all 
into  the  keeping  of  him  who  had  given  and  taken. 
Capt.  Michael  Johnston,  now  of  Haverhill,  was  so 
called  to  bear  up  and  perpetuate  the  name  of  that 
uncle  who  found  this  early  grave. 

Col.  Howard  relates  that  he  and  two  others  were 
the  first  among  the  settlers  who  came  from  Salisbury 
in  a  straight  course  to  Haverhill.  They  came  on  in 
April,  1762.  Howard,  Jesse  Harriman,  and  Simeon 
Stevens  employed  an  old  hunter  at  Concord  to  guide 
them  through.  They  came  west  of  Newfound  Pond, 


46  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

in  Hebron,  followed  up  the  north-west  branch  of 
Baker's  River  into  Coventry,  and  down  the  Oliverian 
to  the  Connecticut.  They  performed  the  journey  in 
four  days  from  Concord. 

In  June,  of  this  year,  the  first  family  moved  into 
Haverhill.  Uriah  Morse,  and  Hannah,  his  wife, 
came  from  Northfield,  Mass.,  and  settled  upon  the 
bank  of  Poole  Brook,  west  of  the  bridge  on  the  main 
road,  and  a  little  south-west  of  the  house  where 
David  Merrill  lived  for  many  years.  They  boarded 
Capt.  Hazen's  men,  while  they  were  building  the 
mills,  and  other  adventurers  as  they  came  into  the 
settlement.  The  first  child  of  English  descent  had 
its  birth  in  this  family,  in  the  spring  of  1763  ;  but 
we  hear  of  no  bounty  bestowed  upon  the  parents,  as 
in  Newbury,  the  same  year,  nor  do  we  learn  whether 
it  was  male  or  female.  Indeed,  it  survived  its  birth 
but  a  few  days.  The  first  death  of  an  adult  occurred 
in  this  family,  also  —  Polly  Harriman  died  of  con- 
sumption, aged  18  years.  She  was  buried  a  little 
south-west  of  the  present  meeting-house  in  the  north 
parish  of  Haverhill,  between  the  meeting-house  and 
the  Southards.  Her  death  was  much  lamented. 

Poole  Brook  derived  its  name  from  a  man  whose 
name  was  Poole,  who  lived  fifty  or  sixty  rods  north 
of  Uriah  Morse's  house.  Poole  was  drowned  one 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  47 

mile  above  the  Narrows,  in  Connecticut  River,  above 
Wells'  River.  Glazier  Wheeler  and  his  son  Charles 
found  the  body  of  Poole,  seven  days  after  drowning, 
and  it  was  brought  down  to  the  great  Ox  Bow  and 
interred.  Polly,  the  only  child  of  Mr.  Poole,  mar- 
ried John  Johnson,  of  Newbury,  and  was  drowned 
in  the  Connecticut,  near  where  her  father  was  buried. 

Thomas  Johnson,  Timothy  Bedel,  Capt.  Hazen, 
and  Jesse  Harriman  boarded  in  the  family  of  Uriah 
Morse  in  the  autumn  of  1762.  Johnson  was  now  in 
his  21st  year.  He  was  born  March  22,  1742,  and 
came  into  the  settlement  in  the  service  of  General 
Bailey  ;  but  the  first  season  he  boarded  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river.  He  originated  in  Haverhill,  Mass. 
Thomas  Johnson's  first  purchase  in  Newbury  bears 
date  October  6,  1763.  It  is  the  united  testimony  of 
the  first  settlers,  that  at  that  early  period,  moose, 
bear,  deer,  beaver,  otter,  mink  and  sables  were  nu- 
merous, and  that  salmon  enriched  and  adorned  the 
river.  Trout  was  not  so  abundant  in  the  streams  as 
salmon  in  the  river,  and  shad  never  appeared  above 
Bellows'  Falls,  in  Walpole. 

We  now  come  to  speak  of  the  events  of  1763,  in 
those  settlements.  This  was  the  year  of  charters 
with  them.  Newbury's  charter  bears  date  March  18, 
1763,  signed  by  Benning  Wentworth,  and  I  think 
Haverhill  charter  bears  the  same  date. 


48  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

The  first  town  meeting  under  the  charter  was  held 
by  the  freemen  of  Newbury,  June  13,  1763,  and  not 
less  than  100  miles  from  the  location  of  their  grant, 
viz.,  at  Plaistow,  N.  H.  And  before  this  meeting 
was  adjourned,  they  voted  to  unite  with  Haverhill  in 
paying  a  preacher  for  the  term  of  two  or  three 
months,  "this  fall  or  winter," — a  very  worthy  ex- 
ample, while  they  were  yet  so  few  and  feeble. 

This  was  a  year  of  enlargement  with  Haverhill 
and  Newbury.  Benjamin  Hall,  from  Massachusetts, 
came  in  and  settled  near,  the  Porter  place,  where  the 
Southards  now  live.  Jonathan  Saunders  and  Sarah 
Eowell,  both  from  Hampton,  N.  H.,  came  and 
settled  near  the  present  house  of  Dr.  Carleton,  late 
deceased.  Jacob  Hall,  from  Northfield,  Mass.,  came 
and  settled  on  the  Dow  farm,  so  called.  Hon.  James 
Woodward,  of  Hampstead,  N.  H.,  came  and  settled 
on  his  place  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years.  He 
purchased  his  farm  at  twenty  cents  per  acre.  Mr. 
John  Page,  father  of  the  present  governor  of  New 
Hampshire,  came  into  Haverhill  this  year  from 
Lnnenburg,  Mass.  He  was  employed  by  his  uncle, 
David  Page,  to  assist  in  driving  up  his  cattle  to  tan- 
caster,  and  this  was  the  beginning  of  the  settlement 
of  that  town  —  David  Page's  son  having  been  iip  in 
the  preceding  June  of  that  year,  and  marked  out  a 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  49 

way  for  them  from  Haverhill.  John  Page  returned 
from  Lancaster,  and  bought  his  farm  in  Haverhill, 
but  spent  the  subsequent  winter  in  taking  care  of 
Gen.  Bailey's  stock  in  Newbury,  which  arrived  that 
season,  and  not  in  1762,  as  many  have  supposed. 
This  was  Mr.  Page's  account,  Captain  Howard's,  and 
Col.  Joshua  Bailey's,  who  came  with  his  father  to 
Newbury  in  1764,  at  eleven  years  of  age.  Page  con- 
tinued to  labor  for  (ren.  Bailey  until  he  was  able  to 
pay  for  his  farm.  He  then  came  to  Haverhill,  mar- 
ried Abigail  Saunders,  daughter  of  the  first  settler 
south  of  him,  and  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-two, 
and  departed  this  life  in  1823. 

This  year  Noah  White  came  into  Newbury,  with 
his  family,  and  settled.  Thomas  Johnson  established 
himself  in  the  Ox  Bow,  and  Col.  Jacob  Kent  came 
into  Newbury,  November  4,  1763,  the  twelfth  family 
in  both  towns.  There  were  a  number  of  young  men 
boarding  in  those  families.  Col.  Kent  was  born  at 
Chebacco,  Mass.,  June  11,  1726,  and  Mary  White, 
his  wife,  was  born  at  Plaistow,  N.  H.,  August  14, 
1736.  Mrs.  Kent  survived  her  husband  many  years, 
and  lived  to  a  great  age.  She  was  nearly  ninety 
years  of  age  when  I  visited  her  to  obtain  information 
relative  to  the  first  settlers,  and  I  found  her  memory 
good  upon  subjects  of  ancient  date.  In  answer  to 
3 


50  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

the  question,  "Were  there  many  wild  animals  in  the 
town  when  you  first  came  here,  such  as  bears  and 
wolves?"  she  replied,  "O,  yes,  there  were  enough 
of  them  creatures  !  I  was  once  frightened  almost 
out  of  my  wits  by  them.  It  was  on  a  Sabbath 
day.  The  colonel  was  gone  to  meeting,  and  I 
was  left  alone,  and  there  came  three  great  bears 
to  the  door,  and  looked  right  in  upon  me  !  I 
expected  nothing  but  they  would  come  in  and  de- 
vour me;  but  after  looking  at  me  awhile,  they  turned 
away,  and  trotted  off,  and  glad  was  I."  Ladies  of 
Newbury  and  Haverhill,  how  would  you  like,  at  this 
time,  to  have  your  devotions  interrupted,  or  your  do- 
mestic concerns  thus  unceremoniously  inspected,  by 
stranger  gentlemen,  such  as  these  ?  Mum  ! 

In  this  year,  says  Col.  Joshua  Bailey,  John  Fore- 
man and  several  others  of  Pennsylvania,  having  en- 
listed into  the  British  army  near  the  commencement 
of  the  old  French  war,  and  having  been  retained  in 
Canada  after  peace  was  restored,  deserted  and  made 
through  the  woods  until  they  came  upon  the  head 
waters  of  the  Connecticut,  and  following  down  the 
stream,  they  came  into  the  north  part  of  Haverhill. 
But  here  they  found  themselves  famishing  through 
lack  of  sustenance,  and  as  they  knew  not  that  there 
was  an  English  settlement  within  a  hundred  miles  of 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  51 

them,  they  were  prepared  to  seize  upon  any  thing 
which  could  satisfy  the  demands  of  hunger.  They 
unexpectedly  came  in  sight  of  a  horse  upon  the  plain 
north  of  the  north  parish  meeting-house,  and  suppos- 
ing it  to  be  wild,  or  one  that  had  gone  far  astray, 
they  shot  it,  and  fed  themselves  upon  its  flesh.  Re- 
plenishing their  packs  with  the  residue  of  the  meat, 
they  proceeded  south,  but  soon  diecovered  smokes  as- 
cending from  chimneys  on  the  Ox  Bow  and  vicinity. 
They  were  alarmed  at  the  idea  of  falling  into  the 
hands  of  hostile  Indians,  especially  since  they  had 
killed  one  of  their  horses.  But  after  some  consulta- 
tion, they  concluded  that  one  of  their  number  should 
cross  the  river,  make  what  discoveries  he  could,  and 
then  return  and  report.  He  accordingly  swam  the 
river,  and,  to  his  great  joy,  found  these  were  English 
settlements.  The  news  and  a  boat  were  soon  carried 
back  to  his  companions.  They  were  brought  on  to 
the  Ox  Bow,  where  they  found  food,  a  shelter,  and 
sympathizing  friends.  Col.  Bailey  says,  this  fact  of 
their  killing  the  horse  on  that  plain  gave  the  name 
"  Horse  Meadow "  to  that  section  of  the  town,  and 
not  the  traditionary  story  of  horses  finding  a  rush 
grass  there  sooner  in  the  spring  than  elsewhere. 

At  this  time,  1763,  we  are  told,  there  were  no  roads 
in   any  direction,  and  that  their  bread-stuffs  were 


52  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

brought  from  Charlestown  in  boats.  It  is  a  little  ex- 
traordinary that  none  of  the  first  settlers  make  men- 
tion of  the  great  drought  which  prevailed  in  the  Col- 
onies for  the  years  1761  and  1762.*  It  must  have 
affected  them  whatever  were  their  seasons  at  Coos ; 
for  as  yet  they  were  depending  on  foreign  supplies. 

We  now  come  to  speak  of  the  progress  of  these  set- 
tlements in  1764.  This  was  a  year  of  increase,  and 
they  realized  an  accession  which  seemed  to  give  char- 
acter to  the  settlements  for  many  years.  Deacon 
Jonathan  Elkins  with  his  family,  from  Hampton,  N. 
H.,  came  into  Haverhill,  and  settled  near  Doctor 
Carleton's.  Deacon  Elkins  was  a  valuable  acquisi- 
tion to  the  town  ;  but  he  remained  here  but  little 
more  than  ten  years,  before  he  removed  to  Peacham, 
Vt.,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers,  and  most  effi- 
cient, in  that  town.  Col.  Timothy  Beedel,  from 
New-Salem,  moved  his  family  to  this  place,  and  set- 
tled on  Poole  Brook,  where  David  Merrill  long  lived. 
Hon.  Ezekiel  Ladd  came  in  and  settled  on  the  place 
where  he  lived  fifty-four  years,  and  died  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty  years,  (1818.)  He  married  Ruth 
Hutchins.  They  both  belonged  to  Haverhill,  Mass. 
Mrs.  Ladd  died  1817,  aged  seventy-six. 

Newbury  was  enlarged  and  blessed,  also,  this  year, 

*  See  Belknap,  vol.  ii.  p.  238. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  53 

by  the  arrival  of  Gen.  Jacob  Bailey  with  his  family. 
He  had  been  from  the  first  the  principal  mover  in  the 
settlement.  His  influence  was  felt  in  every  proceed- 
ing, and  now  he  had  come  to  bless  himself,  and  to 
save  much  people  alive,  in  the  approaching  contest 
between  Great  Britain  and  her  Colonies.  He  arrived 
in  Newbury,  October,  1764.  He  lived,  at  that  time, 
south  of  the  Johnson  Village,  and  north  of  the  hill, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  road.  He  was  thirty-eight 
years  of  age  when  he  came  to  Newbury,  and  lived 
until  March,  1815,  when  he  resigned  a  long  life,  that 
had  been  devoted  to  his  country,  to  his  town,  and, 
for  a  considerable  length  of  time,  to  his  God.  He 
died  at  eighty-nine  years  of  age. 

This  same  year  came  the  Rev.  Peter  Powers,  of 
Hollis,  N.  II..  t<>  labor  with  this  people  in  holy 
things.  Mr.  Powers  was  born  in  Dunstable,  N.  H., 
November  29,  1728,  moved  to  Hollis  with  his  father, 
January,  1731,  which  was  the  first  settlement  in  that 
town.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1754, 
the  year  his  father  explored  the  Coos  country.  He 
was  first  settled  in  the  ministry  at  Newent,  then  a 
parish  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  now  the  town  of  Lisbon, 
where  he  labored  some  years  ;  but  taking  a  dismission 
from  that  charge,  he  came  to  Newbury  at  thirty-six 
years  of  age.  Through  his  instrumentality  a  church 


54  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

was  gathered  and  organized  in  Newbury,  in  the  fall 
of  1764,  composed  of  members  from  both  sides  of 
the  river.  The  two  settlements  united,  also,  in  form- 
ing an  ecclesiastical  society,  which  union  continued 
nearly  twenty  years. 

We  now  enter  upon  the  transactions  and  events  of 
1765.  Daring  this  year,  the  settlements  at  Coos  be- 
gan to  have  some  neighbors.  One  or  two  settlements 
were  made  at  Bradford,  Orford,  Lyme,  Thetford, 
Hanover,  Lebanon,  and  Plymouth ;  but  more  of 
these  hereafter. 

On  the  24th  of  January,  1765,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pow- 
ers received  a  call  to  take  the  spiritual  charge  of  this 
newly  constituted  church  and  society  in  the  wilder- 
ness. He  gave  his  answer  in  the  affirmative,  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1765.  They  then  voted  that  "  the  install- 
ment be  on  the  last  Wednesday  of  this  instant,  and 
voted,  that  the  Reverend  Messrs.  Abner  Bailey,  Dan- 
iel Emerson,  Joseph  Emerson,  Henry  True,  and 
Joseph  Goodhue,  with  their  churches,  be  a  council 
for  said  installment.  Voted,  that  Jacob  Bailey, 
Esq.,  shall  represent  the  town  of  Newbury  at  the 
council,  which  was  voted  to  meet  for  said  installment 
down  country  where  it  is  thought  best.  Jacob  Kent, 
Town  Clerk. 

There  is,  to  us,  some  novelty  in  this  vote  for  in- 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  55 

stall  UK  Mit  somewhere  ;  but  the  necessity  of  the  case 
explains  the  whole  affair.  There  were  no  ministers 
or  churches  in  all  the  region,  and  they  must  go  by 
their  delegation  until  they  found  them.  The  minis- 
ters selected  for  the  council  belonged  in  Hollis  and 
vicinity,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Powers  was  installed  at 
Hollia,  February  27,  1765,  as  the  title  page  to  the 
sermon  that  was  preached  on  the  occasion  showeth, 
which  is  as  follows  :  — 

"  A  Sermon  preached  at  Hollis,  February  27, 1765, 
at  the  Installation  of  the  Rev.  Peter  Powers,  A.  M., 
for  the  towns  of  Newbury  and  Haverhill,  at  a  Place 
called  Coos,  in  the  Province  of  New-hampshire.  By 
Myself.  Published  at  the  desire  of  many  who  heard 
it,  to  whom  it  is  humbly  dedicated  by  the  unworthy 
author.  Then  saith  he  to  his  servants,  the  wedding 
is  ready, — Go  ye  therefore  into  the  high  ways,  and 
as  many  as  ye  shall  find,  bid  to  the  marriage.  Matt. 
xxii:8,  9.  Portsmouth,  in  New-hampshire.  Printed 
and  sold  by  Daniel  and  Robert  Fowle,  1765." 

Th'ere  is  novelty  in  the  circumstance  of  Mr.  Pow- 
ers' preaching  his  own  installation  sermon,  but  it  was 
nothing  uncommon  at  that  day  ;  and  there  is  room 
for  doubt  whether  the  moderns  have  made  an  im- 
provement in  this  particular. 

Mr.  Powers'  goods  were  brought  from  Charlestown 


56  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

to  Newbury  upon  the  ice  on  the  river,  the  last  of 
February,  by  the  people  of  Newbury  and  Haverhill  ; 
but  the  family  did  not  arrive  until  April  of  that  year. 
A  circumstance  occurred  on  the  journey  with  the 
goods,  which  gave  rise  to  an  anecdote  which  was  rife 
among  the  old  people,  down  to  a  late  period.  It  has 
been  related  to  me  by  persons  belonging  to  several 
different  towns.  There  was  a  man  living  in  New- 
bury,  and  a  member  of  the  church,  by  the  name  of 
Way.  He  was  an  eccentric  character,  and  would  on 
some  occasions  speak  unadvisedly,  yet  was  a  very 
friendly  man.  and  was  neld  in  general  esteem.  He 
was  one  who  volunteered  his  services  to  bring  up  the 
goods  upon  the  ice.  It  was  so  late  in  February,  that 
in  some  places,  especially  where  tributaries  came  in, 
the  ice  was  thin  and  brittle.  They,  however,  made 
their  way  without  serious  difficulty,  until  they  came 
to  the  mouth  of  Ompompanoosuc,  at  the  north-east 
part  of  Norwich,  where  Way's  sled  broke  through, 
and  had  like  to  have  gone  down,  sled,  team,  Way  and 
all.  But  by  timely  effort  on  the  part  of  his  travelling 
companions,  they  were  all  extricated.  As  soon  as 
Way  and  his  team  reached  firm  footing,  he  turned 
around  and  surveyed  the  danger  he  had  been  in  ;  and 
as  he  saw  the  waters  boiling  and  eddying  with  a 
frightful  aspect,  he  said  to  his  companions,  "That  is 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  57 

a  cursed  hole."  When  the  party  had  arrived  at 
Newbury,  and  they  were  relating  the  trials  and  dan- 
gers of  the  way,  some  one  mentioned  what  Mr.  Way 
said  of  Ompompanoosuc.  It  was  not  loug  before 
this  came  to  the  ears  of  Mr.  Powers,  and  he  resolved 
to  go,  as  his  custom  was  in  like  cases,  and  have  a 
conversation  with  Mr.  Way,  and  admonish  him,  if  he 
should  be  found  to  have  been  delinquent.  He  ac- 
cordingly went  and  told  Mr.  Way  that  he  had  been 
told  he  had  been  speaking  unadvisedly  and  wickedly. 
"  What,  what  is  it  ?  "  said  Mr.  Way.  "  Why,  they 
say  you  said  of  Ompompanoosuc,  that  it  was  a 
cursed  hole."  "  Well,  it  is  a  cursed  hole,"  said  Way  ; 
"  I  say,  it  is  a  cursed  hole,  and  I  can  prove  it."  "  0 
no,  you  cannot,"  said  Mr.  Powers,  "and  you  have 
done  very  wrong — you  must  repent."  "  Why,"  said 
Way,  "  did  not  the  Lord  curse  the  earth  for  man's 
sin?"  "  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Powers.  "  Well,"  replied 
Way,  "  do  you  think  that  little  divilish  Ompompa- 
noosuc was  an  exception?"  Mr.  Powers  turned 
away,  and  exclaimed,  "0,  Mr.  Way,  Mr.  Way,  I 
stand  in  fear  of  you,"  and  recording  his  nolle prosequi, 
departed. 

Mr.  Powers  lived  in  a  house  a  little  north  of  the 
house  of  Gen.   Bailey,  and  south  of  Thomas  John- 
sou's.      He  preached  for  a  time  at  Gen.    Bailey's 
3* 


58  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

house,  and  in  the  mean  time,  they  built  a  log  meet- 
ing-house, south  of  Gen.  Bailey's,  and  north  of  the 
hill,  where  they  worshipped  some  years.  This  was 
the  house  voted  to  be  built,  28  feet  by  25  feet,  in 
October,  1764,  as  stated  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Perry  in  his 
manuscript  of  1831,  but  which  he  concludes  never 
was  builded  (pp.  14  and  16,  in  manuscript).  The 
truth  is,  Mr.  Perry  was  laboring  under  a  mistake  in 
regard  to  meeting-houses.  The  first  meeting-house 
stood  where  I  have  located  it.  A  framed  meeting- 
house was  some  years  afterward  erected  near  where 
the  present  Congregational  meeting-house  stands ; 
but  as  there  was  dissatisfaction  in  regard  to  its  loca- 
tion, it  was  pulled  down,  and  re-erected  on  the  spot 
where  Mr.  Perry  speaks  of  the  first  meeting-house 
standing,  viz.,  "west  of  the  burying  ground;"  but 
it  was  not  for  a  meeting-house  that  it  was  erected 
there,  but  for  a  court-house  and  jail;  still,  divine 
service  might  have  been  maintained  there  after  the 
first  house  had  become  too  small  to  accommodate  the 
congregation,  and  before  the  present  meeting-house 
was  erected  in  1790. 

I  wish  here  to  be  indulged  with  a  single  remark  in 
respect  to  Brother  Perry's  manuscript.  It  was  a  very 
laudable  undertaking.  I  am  not  altogether  unaided 
by  it ;  but  he  was  in  too  much  haste  in  preparing  it ; 


OP    THE  COOS  COUNTRY.  59 

depended  too  much  on  common  report,  and  did  not 
compare  notes  sufficiently.  It  will  not  guide  us 
safely  through  the  labyrinth  of  the  twenty-five  first 
years  in  these  settlements.  But  as  I  have  said,  they 
worshipped  at  the  Ox  Bow  some  years,  and  Haverhill 
people  assembled  with  them,  with  great  punctuality. 
There  was  a  foot-path  leading  from  Judge  James 
Woodward's  late  residence,  north-westerly,  to  the 
river,  where  was  a  log  canoe  to  set  them  across,  and 
from  the  point  of  landing  a  serpentine  path  through 
tall  grass,  bushes,  and  sometimes  towering  trees,  led 
them  to  the  place  of  worship.  They  had  another  ca- 
noe at  the  Dow  farm,  and  another  at  the  Porter 
place. 

At  that  day  it  was  a  sin  and  disreputable  in  the 
view  of  all,  for  persons  to  absent  themselves  from  the 
place  of  worship  without  valid  cause  ;  and  parents 
were  seen  uniformly  carrying  their  children  in  their 
arms  from  Dr.  Carleton's  place  to  the  Johnson  Vil- 
lage and  back  again,  the  same  day,  and  sometimes 
when  the  grass  and  bushes  were  wet,  and  the  trees 
from  above  dropped  upon  them  their  dewy  blessings  ; 
and  all  this,  that  they  might  hear  the  word  of  life 
dispensed.  Going  and  returning  in  their  meandering 
course  could  not  have  been  a  less  distance  than  twelve 
miles,  and  sometimes  each  parent  had  one  to  carry. 


60  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Nor  was  the  attendance  at  worship  less  uniform  and 
punctual  with  those  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 
Some  females  walked  from  Moretown,  now  Bradford, 
and  others  from  Ryegate,  a  distance  of  ten  miles. 
Those  from  the  latter  place,  when  they  came  to  Well's 
Kiver,  (there  being  no  canoe,)  would  bare  their  feet, 
and  "trip  it  along  as  nimbly  as  the  deer."  The  men 
generally  went  bare-footed ;  the  ladies,  certainly, 
wore  shoes. 

The  wife  of  Judge  Ladd  related  to  me  her  extreme 
mortification  on  the  first  Sabbath  she  attended  meet- 
ing at  the  Ox  Bow.  She  and  her  husband  had  been 
recently  married.  They  came  from  Haverhill,  Mass., 
and  had  seen  and  tasted  some  of  the  refinements  of 
life.  She  thought  she  must  appear  as  well  as  any  of 
them,  and  put  on  her  wedding  silks,  with  muffled 
cuffs,  extending  from  the  shoulder  to  the  elbow,  and 
chere  made  fast  by  brilliant  sleeve-buttons.  (Ladies 
of  the  toilet  of  eighty  years'  experience  will  under- 
stand all  this.)  She  wore  silk  hose  and  florid  shoes. 
Her  husband,  appeared,  also,  in  his  best,  and  they 
took  their  seats  on  benches  early  in  the  sanctuary. 
But  she  remarked  that  "  they  went  alone,  sat  alone, 
and  returned  alone  ;  for  it  was  not  possible  for  her  to 
get  near  enough  to  any  one  of  the  females  to  hold 
conversation  with  them  ;  and  she  was  so  home-sick, 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  61 

she  thought  she  should  die,  and  would  have  given 
any  thing  could  she  have  formed  some  acquaintance 
with  those  who  were  to  be  her  female  neighbor?,"  but 
they  were  actually  afraid  of  her,  and  each  sat,  or 
stood,  at  a  proper  distance,  lest  they  should  soil  her 
dress.  On  their  return  home,  she  told  her  husband 
she  had  learned  one  lesson,  and  that  was,  When 
among  Romans,  conform  to  Romans.  The  next  Sab- 
bath she  appeared  in  a  clean  check-linen  gown,  and 
other  articles  in  accordance,  and  she  found  very  so- 
ciable and  warm-hearted  friends. 

But  their  worship  was  destined  to  interruptions  in 
the  summer  of  1765.  I  have  already  spoken  of  Sam'l 
Sleeper,  the  first  settler  in  Newbury,  in  1762  ;  that  he 
was  a  Quaker  preacher,  and  that  he  came  on  to  take 
possession  for  Gen.  Bailey.  We  do  not  hear  of  any 
irregularities  practised  by  Sleeper  until  after  the  set- 
tlement of  Mr.  Powers.  Then  he  claimed  the  right 
to  hold  forth  at  any  time,  and  on  all  occasions,  when 
the  Spirit  moved  him  ;  and  while  Mr.  Powers  was 
speaking,  he  would  sometimes  say — "  Thee  lies,  friend 
Peter."  And  at  other  times  he  would  vociferate — 
"  False  doctrines  !  false  doctrines  !  "  Then  again — 
"  Glorious  truths  !  glorious  truths  !"  The  principal 
men  used  all  means  to  dissuade  him  from  such  a 
course  of  conduct ;  but  he  grew  more  insolent  and 


62  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

boisterous,  and  they  at  length  incarcerated  him  in  a 
cellar  on  Musquash  Meadow  ;  but  as  soon  as  Sleeper 
was  disposed  of,  one  Benoni  Wright,  a  convert  and 
pupil  of  Sleeper,  volunteered  to  fill  the  vacated  seat 
of  his  master,  and  if  Sleeper  had  chastised  the  sin- 
ners with  whips,  Wright  would  do  it  with  scorpions*. 
He  permitted  his  beard  to  grow  at  full  length,  and 
by  this,  he  became  a  professed  prophet  of  the  Lord, 
and  delivered  his  messages  in  the  most  boisterous  and 
frantic  manner.  But  he  gained  no  converts,  and  as 
he  resisted  every  remonstrance  of  the  people,  they 
adopted  a  summary  course  with  him.  The  elders  of 
the  people  in  both  settlements  took  him  on  to  the 
meadow,  near  where  Sleeper  was  in  duress,  held  a 
court  upon  him,  convicted  him,  and  doomed  him  to 
receive  "  ten  lashes,  well  laid  on."  Wright  was 
stripped  and  received  the  judgment  of  the  court  upon 
the  spot,  and  the  same  self -constituted  court  passed 
a  decree,  and  sent  it  to  Sleeper,  that  if  he  appeared 
again  after  confinement,  to  make  the  least  disturb- 
ance, he  should  receive  thirty  lashes  in  full  tale. 
This  was  decisive,  and  these  prophets  concluded  to 
sacrifice  their  consciences  at  the  shrine  of  their 
bodies.  Peace  and  order  were  restored. 

But  the  next  season,  1766,  Sleeper  and  Wright  left 
the  settlement  in  Newbury,  and  removed  into  Brad- 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  63 

ford,  and  settled  on  the  meadow,  north  of  Mr.  Hun- 
kins,  and  east  of  what  was  Johnson's  tavern,  in  the 
north  of  Bradford.  Here  Wright  undertook  to  sus- 
tain a  fast  of  forty  days,  and  withdrew  to  a  cave  in  a 
mountain,  at  the  north-west  part  of  Bradford.  And 
that  he  might  gird  himself  for  his  conflict  with  hun- 
ger and  the  Prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  he  pro- 
cured him  a  strap  with  forty  holes  in  it,  and  was  to 
buckle  himself  up  one  hole  each  day ;  but  long  be- 
fore he  had  attained  to  a  "good  degree,"  he  was  so 
pressed  upon  by  hunger,  that  he  concluded  to  return 
home  to  his  wife,  and  get  her  to  prepare  him  a  good 
supper.  She  did  so,  and  just  as  Wright  was  sitting 
down  to  his  repast,  in  bolted  Sleeper,  who  exclaimed, 
"Friend  Wright,  dost  thou  break  thy  fast?" 
Wright  was  moon-struck  for  a  time  ;  but  his  appetite 
prevailed,  and  he  returned  not  to  the  mountain, 
which  has  from  that  time  borne  his  name,  Wright's 
Mountain.  From  this  time  these  two  men  wholly 
disappear  from  our  history. 

Col.  Joshua  Howard  related  to  me  in  1824,  and 
confirmed  the  same  in  1832,  that  the  origin  of  Sleep- 
er's opposition  was  this  : — Gen.  Bailey  found  it  some- 
what difficult  to  procure  a  man  to  come  on  and  take 
possession  of  that  land  amidst  the  Indians,  who 
would  not  like  as  well  to  take  possession  for  himself, 


64  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

as  for  another  ;  and  such  a  man  he  did  not  want. 
He  at  length  came  across  Sleeper,  who  promised  he 
would  go  on,  provided  he  might  become  their  Quaker 
preacher,  when  they  had  obtained  their  grant,  and 
had  formed  a  Christian  society.  Bailey,  willing  to 
indulge  his  whim,  said  to  him  pleasantly,  "  0,  yes, 
Sleeper,  you  shall  be  our  minister."  Sleeper  took  it 
all  for  specie,  and  in  process  of  time,  Bailey  found 
there  was  more  of  Quakerism  than  poetry  in  Sleeper. 
In  the  fall  of  this  year,  1765,  Judge  Woodward 
was  married  to  Hannah  Clark,  and  it  was  the  first 
marriage  ceremony  ever  performed  in  the  county  of 
Grafton  ;  and  as  there  were  some  things  attending  it 
out  of  the  ordinary  course,  and  as  I  had  the  particu- 
lars from  the  judge  himself,  I  will  relate  them,  as 
they  will  serve  to  show  that  some  things  could  be 
done  then,  as  well  as  at  this  time.  I  have  stated  that 
Judge  Woodward  came  into  Haverhill  in  1763,  and 
bought  his  meadow  farm.  He  built  his  first  tent 
upon  the  meadow,  as  nearly  all  the  first  settlers  did 
in  Newbury,  and  some  in  Haverhill,  not  knowing 
that  they  would  be  in  danger  from  floods  ;  but  being 
driven  off  by  a  flood  in  1771,  they  afterwards  built 
upon  more  elevated  ground.  But  Woodward  was 
now  enjoying  single  blessedness  in  his  tent.  He 
felled  trees  by  day,  went  to  the  Dow  farm  for  his 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  65 

meals,  and  slept  on  the  meadow  at  night.  And  al- 
though ho  sometimes  dreamed  of  fairy  forms,  of 
sparkling  eyes,  and  ruby  lips,  yet  he  knew  not  that 
Providence  had  any  thing  of  this  kind  in  reserve  for 
him,  and  if  he  had,  he  knew  not  where  it  might  be 
found  ;  for  young  females,  in  those  days,  were  duly 
appreciated.  But  the  next  year,  when  Judge  Ladd 
came  on,  he  brought  with  him  a  blooming  little 
maid,  Hannah  Clark,  of  fifteen,  to  live  in  his  family 
a  year  or  two,  and  then,  in  the  mind  of  Judge  Ladd 
and  wife,  she  would  become  the  wife  of  John  Ladd, 
a  brother  of  Judge  Ladd.  Woodward  went  to  see  his 
neighbor  Ladd,  and  there  he  saw  the  object,  which 
took,  at  once,  full  possession  of  his  soul ;  and  he 
could  not  see  why  he  might  not  enjoy  it,  as  well  as 
John  Ladd  ;  and  from  that  moment,  he  resolved  to 
secure  Hannah  Clark  for  his  wife,  if  it  was  in  his 
power.  He  called  at  Judge  Ladd's  occasionally,  and 
had  some  brief  opportunities  for  conversation  with 
Hannah,  enough  to  satisfy  him  that  his  views  and 
feelings  were  reciprocated,  before  Judge  Ladd  or  his 
wife  suspected  the  choice  or  intention  of  either  ;  but 
as  soon  as  their  suspicions  were  awakened,  Woodward 
was  prohibited  the  privilege  of  visiting  at  the  house, 
and  a  strict  watch  was  maintained  over  this  little 
blushing  girl.  But  after  ail,  they  had  their  friends, 


66  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

and  billets,  and  flowers,  and  compliments  passed  be- 
tween them  ;  and  occasionally  an  interview  was  ob- 
tained through  the  intervention  of  friends.  This 
kind  of  innocent  conspiracy  was  carried  on  against 
Judge  Ladd  and  wife  one  full  year,  and  then  the 
parties  thought,  seriously  of  deciding  the  controversy 
by  a  clandestine  marriage.  The  plan  was  laid  and 
executed  in  the  following  manner  :  — 

Woodward  went  to  Newbury,  and  told  all  his  heart 
to  Ephraim  Bailey,  son  of  Gen.  Bailey,  and  brought 
him  to  espouse  his  cause,  and  to  co-operate  with  him. 
Woodward  told  Bailey  they  must  have  one  female  en- 
listed in  their  interests.  Bailey  said  he  believed  he 
could  find  one  that  would  sustain  that  part.  He  was 
then  paying  his  addresses  to  a  young  girl  by  the  name 
of  Hannah  Fellows,  and  he  could  initiate  her  into  the 
secret,  and  secure  her  aid.  It  was  accordingly  con- 
fided to  her,  and  it  was  so  arranged  that  Hannah 
Fellows  was  to  pass  over  to  Haverhill,  and  spend  the 
afternoon  in  visiting  Hannah  Clark,  tell  her  what  was 
expected  of  her,  and  the  sun  about  an  hour  high,  she 
was  to  solicit  the  favor  of  Mrs.  Ladd  to  have  Hannah 
Clark  walk  with  her  as  far  as  the  river  on  her  return 
to  Newbury.  In  the  mean  time,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pow- 
ers was  to  be  requested  to  be  upon  the  west  bank  of 
the  river  precisely  at  such  an  hour,  and  Ephraim 


OP    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  67 

Bailey  was  to  set  him  across  in  the  canoe,  and  then 
all  were  to  step  into  Woodward's  tent,  and  the  mar- 
riage ceremony  be  performed.  Woodward  had  al- 
ready taken  out  license  from  under  the  king  to  au- 
thorize his  being  married  without  publishment,  and 
every  thing  succeeded  according  to  previous  arrange- 
ment. The  moment  the  two  Hannahs  came  on  to 
the  meadow,  Mr.  Powers  and  Ephraim  Bailey  were 
seen  coming  up  from  the  river.  They  all  entered  in- 
to Woodward's  tent,  and  in  a  short  time  Woodward 
and  Hannah  Clark  were  joined  in  lawful  marriage. 
Those  who  belonged  to  Newbury  returned  forthwith 
and  Hannah  Clark,  now  Hannah  Woodward,  ran  for 
Judge  Ladd's.  She  had  not  been  absent  long  enough 
to  excite  suspicion  in  the  mind  of  any  one.  Hannah 
continued  to  do  for  Judge  Ladd  as  heretofore,  and 
Woodward  labored  on  the  meadow. 

At  length,  it  was  reported  by  Mr.  Powers,  that  he 
had  married  Woodward  to  Hannah  Clark,  not  know- 
ing that  there  was  any  secret  to  be  kept.  After  some 
little  time,  a  woman  came  over  to  pay  a  visit  to  Mrs. 
Ladd,  and  told  her  what  kind  of  a  story  was  going 
the  rounds  in  Newbury,  that  James  Woodward  was 
married  to  Hannah  Clark.  Mrs.  Ladd  told  her, 
"  There  was  not  a  word  of  truth  in  the  story  ;  that 
Woodward  had  been  endeavoring  to  court  Hannah, 


68  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

but  they  would  not  hear  to  it."  The  woman  replied, 
"  It  was  a  little  extraordinary  that  such  a  story  should 
be  made  from  nothing,  and  she  had  understood  that 
it  came  from  Mr.  Powers.  And  do  you  know,"  said 
she,  "that.it  is  not  true  ?"  "  Why,  yes,"  said  she, 
"it  cannot  be  true."  At  that  moment  she  paused 
and  reflected,  as  though  Hannah's  walk  with  Hannah 
Fellows  had  just  streaked  across  her  mental  horizon. 
"  But,"  said  she,  "if  I  don't  know,  I  will,"  rising 
up  at  the  same  time,  and  making  for  the  kitchen, 
where  Hannah  was  carding  wool  or  tow  :  "  Hannah," 
said  she,  "  they  say  you  are  married  to  James  Wood- 
ward ;  is  it  true?"  "Yes,  ma'am,"  said  Hannah. 
"  Then  I  have  nothing  more  for  you  to  do,"  replied 
Mrs.  Ludd  ;  "  I  shall  not  part  man  and  wife."  Han- 
nah put  her  cards  together,  laid  them  into  her  basket 
rose  up,  and  ran  for  the  meadow,  and  lived  happily 
with  her  husband  forty  years,  and  departed  this  life 
Oct.  21,  1805.  Hon.  James  Woodward  lived  to  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty,  and  departed  this  life  1821. 

I  perceive  that  Thompson,  in  his  Gazetteer  of 
Vermont,  states  that  the  crank  for  the  first  saw-mill 
in  Newbury  was  drawn  upon  a  hand-sled  from  Con- 
cord, N.  H.,  to  Newbury,  Vt.  Distance  seventy 
miles.  I  suppose  it  could  not  have  been  much  less 
than  seventy  miles  from  Concord  to  Newbury,  since 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  69 

it  is  seventy-two  miles  from  Haverhill  Corner  direct 
to  Concord.  They  would  have  been  much  nearer  the 
true  distance  at  that  time,  had  they  stated  it  at 
eighty  miles.  But  the  whole  of  this  tour  I  have  in 
minutes  from  the  lips  of  two  of  the  adventurers 
themselves,  Judge  Woodward  and  John  Page.  I  do 
not  know  the  precise  number  of  men  who  went  for 
the  Irons,  but  I  think  as  many  as  six.  They  prepared 
a  rude  hand  sleigh,  I  do  not  recollect  the  technical 
name  for  it.  They  split  a  hard  wood  sapling,  and 
shaved  the  two  flat  sides,  as  the  cooper  would  do  a 
hoop  for  a  hogshead.  The  flat  and  wide  side  was  the 
bottom  of  the  runner,  arid  it  was  bent  up  forward, 
and  the  end  being  shaved  down  small,  it  entered  a 
hole  in  a  thick  ribbon  ;  and  the  runner  and  ribbon 
were  supported  apart  by  studs  entering  the  runner 
and  ribbon,  or  nave,  at  short  distances  from  each 
other,  from  end  to  end.  The  cross-bars  rested  upon 
the  ribbons.  This  vehicle  secured  several  advantages. 
It  was  light ;  the  runners  were  wide,  and  would  not 
readily  cut  through  the  snow ;  the  beams  were  high 
from  the  ground,  so  that  rocks  and  stubs  were  not 
likely  to  strike  the  cross-beams.  Being  thus  equipped, 
they  took  in  their  provisions  and  set  sail  with  light 
hearts.  There  was  more  sport,  however,  in  going  to 


70  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Concord  with  an  empty  sled,  than  in  returning  with 
a  ponderous  freight. 

f acilis  descensus  Averni : 

Sed  revocare  gradum, 

Hoc  opus,  hie  labor  est. 

The  snow  was  deep,  and  it  proved  to  be  a  very  cold 
week,  and  before  one  half  the  distance  was  gained  on 
their  return  voyage,  they  felt  themselves  exhausted 
by  fatigue,  and  benumbed  with  the  cold.  They  came 
through  Hebron,  and  came  on  to  Newfound  Pond, 
because  the  way  was  more  level,  yet  the  cold  more 
severe,  for  they  had  not  the  forest  to  break  the  force 
of  the  wind.  Having  gained  somewhat  more  than 
mid  way  of  the  pond,  which  is  six  miles  in  length, 
they  made  a  halt,  and  took  their  seats  upon  their 
sled  for  rest.  Page  arose  and  went  some  little  dis- 
tance to  a  glade,  or  opening  in  the  ice,  to  drink,  and 
when  he  returned,  he  found  all  his  companions  sink- 
ing down  into  a  sleep,  from  which,  if  it  had  been  in- 
dulged, no  power  short  of  Omnipotence  could  have 
aroused  them.  Page  was  not  lost  to  a  sense  of  his  or 
their  danger  ;  the  thought  of  which  proved  the  nec- 
essary stimulus  to  excite  him  to  effort  in  redeeming 
them  from  death.  He  cried  out  to  them  that  they 
were  all  dead  men,  if  they  did  not  instantly  awake, 
and  bestir  themselves.  He  seized  them  by  their 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  71 

shoulders,  shook  them,  and  made  them  stand  up  ; 
and  he  so  preached  terror  to  their  auditory  nerves, 
that  they  revived,  and  resolved  to  make  every  possi- 
ble effort  to  reach  a  cump  in  the  woods  ;  and  they 
were  successful,  and  thus  saved  themselves  alive. 

I  speak  of  their  reaching  a  camp.  It  may  be 
proper  for  me  to  state  in  this  place,  that  our  fathers 
had  taken  the  precaution  to  build  camps  on  the  route 
from  Haverhill  to  Salisbury,  one  camp  in  every 
twelve  or  fifteen  miles,  and  each  was  supplied  with 
fireworks  and  fuel,  so  that  a  traveller  could  soon  kin- 
dle him  a  fire  ;  and  he  had  the  boughs  of  the  hem- 
lock for  his  bed. 

But  this  same  party  came  near  perishing  when  they 
had  arrived  in  sight  of  Haverhill,  in  the  north-east 
part  of  Piermont  ;  and  had  it  not  been  for  Woodward 
to  perform  for  Page,  in  that  instance,  what  Page  had 
done  for  them  upon  the  pond,  they  would  have  given 
up  the  ghost  But  they  were  told  it  required  but 
one  effort  more,  and  all  danger  was  past ;  but  if  they 
gave  way  to  sleep  for  a  few  minutes,  as  one  of  them 
proposed,  they  never  would  awake  in  the  body. 
They  were  induced  to  persevere,  and  they  came  into 
Haverhill,  where  they  found  the  blessings  of  a  fire- 
side, of  food,  comfortable  lodgings,  and  anxious 
friends  to  sympathize  with  them. 


72  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

This  saw-mill  crank  was  the  one  which  was  so  long 
in  use  at  Atwood's  mills  in  Newbury,  but  I  know  not 
its  location  or  its  use  at  this  time.  But  what  hard- 
ships were  these  above  related  !  How  unlike  the  con- 
dition of  their  children  and  grand-children  !  How 
unequal  are  their  descendants  to  such  services  ! 
Many  of  our  young  men  would  now  groan  under  the 
task  of  travelling  on  foot  from  Haverhill  to  Plymouth, 
a  distance  of  thirty-two  miles,  on  a  road  which  may 
be  passed  over  in  safety,  by  horse  and  carriage,  at  the 
rate  of  ten  miles  per  hour.  But  the  memory  of  one 
man  will  carry  him  back  to  a  different  generation. 
There  he  will  see  a  hardy  race,  minds  trained  to 
deeds  of  daring,  and  muscular  powers,  seldom,  if 
ever,  surpassed.  And  these  qualities  did  not  apper- 
tain to  the  first  settlers  of  Coos  exclusively,  but  they 
characterized  those  several  generations  which  felled 
our  forests,  subdued  our  soil,  conquered  savage  men, 
destroyed  the  beasts  of  prey,  made  roads,  built  habi- 
tations, mills,  school-houses,  churches,  supported  the 
gospel,  founded  colleges  and  academies,  sustained  a 
war  of  eleven  years  with  the  combined  forces  of 
French  and  Indians,  and  finally  gained  our  national 
independence.  They  had  a  great  work  assigned 
them,  and  Providence  fitted  them,  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree, for  the  discharge  of  their  duties. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  73 

I  will  hero  mention,  that  roads  direct  from  Haver- 
hill  to  Boston  were  not  opened  until  after  the  war  of 
the  revolution — I  mean  such  as  would  admit  the 
passing  of  heavy  teams,  and  until  then,  the  freight 
of  goods  from  our  seaports  was  very  expensive. 
Heavy  articles  which  were  not  brought  up  from 
Charlestown  upon  the  ice,  in  winter,  were  brought  on 
pack-horses  from  Concord  through  the  woods,  and 
ten  bushels  of  wheat  have  been  exchanged  for  one  of 
salt.  The  glass  for  Col.  Thomas  Johnson's  house 
was  brought  across  the  woods  in  this  manner  ;  and 
Col.  Robert  Johnson,  who  opened  the  first  tavern  in 
Newbury,  in  a  house  a  little  south  of  where  his  son 
Robert  now  lives,  supplied  his  bar  with  spirits  im- 
ported in  the  same  way.  This  being  the  state  of 
things  in  respect  to  roads,  we  shall  readily  conceive 
that  the  means  of  communicating  between  this  isola- 
ted settlement  and  the  eastern  part  of  the  state  were 
very  limited,  and  were  not  an  every  day  occurrence. 
A  passenger  arriving  in  the  settlement  with  packages 
direct  from  friends  in  the  east  created  a  more  lively 
interest  in  the  settlers,  than  the  arrival  of  the  British 
Queen  steamer  now  does  in  the  great  emporium  of 
this  nation.  I  will  give  an  anecdote  from  Mr.  Perry's 
sketches,  illustrative  of  the  state  of  things  in  these 
respects.  The  story  comes  from  Richard  Chamber- 
lain, one  of  the  first  settlers.  4 


74          •  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Early  in  the  settlement  of  the  Coos,  it  so  happened 
that  the  annual  Thanksgiving  was  passed,  before  in- 
telligence of  it  arrived  here.  But  soon  after,  a  Dr. 
White  came  up  to  visit  his  friends  at  Newbury,  and 
brought  with  him  a  proclamation.  This  proclama- 
tion was  read  publicly  on  the  Sabbath  by  Mr.  Powers, 
and  by  him  it  was  proposed  they  should  keep  a 
thanksgiving,  notwithstanding  the  time  specified  by 
the  governor  was  passed.  And  he  proposed  the  next 
Thursday.  Upon  this  a  member  arose,  and  gravely 
proposed  that  it  might  be  deferred  longer;  "for," 
said  he,  "  there  is  not  a  drop  of  molasses  in  the 
town  ;  and  we  know  how  important  it  is  to  have  mo- 
lasses to  keep  Thanksgiving.  My  boys  have  gone  to 
No.  4,  and  will  be  back,  probably,  by  the  beginning 
of  next  week,  and  they  will  bring  molasses  ;  and  it 
had  better  be  put  off  till  next  week  Thursday."  It 
was  unanimously  agreed  to.  But  the  molasses  not 
coming,  it  was  deferred  another  week  ;  and  finally, 
Thanksgiving  was  kept  without  molasses.  This, 
which  is  enough  to  provoke  a  smile,  will  nevertheless 
show  us  the  simplicity  and  destitution  of  those  days. 
But  from  1766  to  1769,  we  have  no  special  occur- 
rences to  relate.  The  settlements  continued  to  in- 
crease, society  to  improve,  and  the  means  of  subsis- 
tence rewarded  the  hand  of  industry  most  bounti- 


OF    THE  COOS  COUNTRY.  75 

fully.  Indeed,  the  Coos  meadows  became  to  other 
infant  settlements,  north  and  south  of  them,  what 
the  granaries  of  Egypt  were  to  Canaan  and  surround- 
ing nations,  in  the  days  of  the  seven  years'  famine. 
An  aged  gentleman  in  Lyme,  N.  H.,  says,  "he  can 
very  well  recollect  when  they  used  to  carry  up  their 
silver  shoe-buckles  to  the  Coos,  and  exchange  them 
for  wheat." 

As  to  the  state  of  religion  in  those  years,  we  do  not 
learn  of  any  powerful  revivals  among  the  people, 
such  as  had  been  experienced  in  Whitfield's  time,  in 
many  parts  of  New  England  ;  or  such  as  have  since 
been  experienced  in  those  settlements.  There  are  no 
church  records  to  guide  our  bark  in  these  polar  seas  ; 
but  if  there  were  revivals,  in  the  modern  sense  of  the 
term,  the  ancients  would  have  told  us  of  them. 
There  were  additions  to  the  church  from  time  to 
time,  from  both  sides  of  the  river,  until  it  consisted 
of  a  goodly  number  of  members.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Powers  was  a  serious,  godly  man,  and  more  distin- 
guished, I  should  think,  for  his  plain,  faithful,  and 
pungent  preaching,  than  for  grace  in  style  or  diction. 
He  preached  mostly  without  notes,  and  yet  he  gener- 
ally studied  his  sermons.  Those  I  have  seen  in  print 
exhibit  thought,  arrangement,  a  deep  knowledge  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  a  soul  full  of  the  love  of  Christ 


76  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

and  of  the  souls  of  men.  His  labors  were  abundant. 
As  there  were  no  ministers  north  of  Charlestown, 
for  some  years  after  Mr.  Powers  settled  at  Coos,  he 
was  frequently  called  to  attend  funerals,  weddings, 
and  to  preach  lectures  at  infant  settlements  upon  the 
river.  Until  there  was  a  foot-path  marked  out  upon 
the  bank  of  the  river  for  passengers,  Mr.  Powers 
used  to  perform  his  journeys  up  and  down  the  river 
in  his  canoe.  When  he  saw  young  men  felling  trees 
near  the  river,  he  would  call  to  them,  and  say,  if 
Providence  favored  him,  he  would  preach  to  them  in 
that  place,  on  such  a  day,  and  at  such  an  hour. 
These  were  welcome  propositions,  generally  ;  and  if 
there  were  other  settlements  near,  they  were  informed 
of  the  appointment ;  and  Mr.  Powers,  at  the  hour 
specified,  would  find  his  hearers  seated  on  stumps  and 
logs,  all  ready  to  receive  the  word.  Mr.  Powers  was 
characterized  by  his  punctuality  in  meeting  his  ap- 
pointments, and  seldom,  if  ever  disappointed  his  as- 
sembly. 

John  Mann,  Esq.,  of  Orford,  told  me  that  Mr. 
Powers  passed  down  the  river  at  a  certain  time,  and 
gave  out  an  appointment  to  preach  at  a  particular 
hour,  on  a  subsequent  day.  But  during  his  absence, 
there  fell  a  great  rain,  which  swelled  the  river,  and 
increased  the  rapidity  of  the  current  very  much. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  77 

The  people  generally  felt  that  he  could  not  meet  his 
appointment ;  but  they  assembled  notwithstanding, 
and  waited  to  know  the  result.  One  man  was  very 
con6dent  Mr.  Powers  would  not,  and  could  not  re- 
turn, and  was  disposed  to  charge  their  assembling  to 
a  stupid  credulity  in  the  people.  But  another  man 
seemed  to  be  confident  he  would  return  to  his  ap- 
pointment ;  and,  finally,  a  bet  was  made  between 
them.  Neither  one  was  pious.  This  altercation  had  • 
awakened  some  interest  in  the  audience  generally, 
and  all  eyes  were  directed  down  the  river.  The  ap- 
pointed hour  now  drew  on,  and  not  more  than  twen- 
ty-five or  thirty  minutes  remained  in  which  Mr.  Pow- 
ers could  make  good  his  appointment,  and  he  who 
bet  against  his  return  felt  sure  of  his  prize,  for,  if  he 
was  already  in  sight,  he  could  not  gain  the  ground 
within  the  time  allotted  ;  but  more  than  this,  no  man 
or  boat  appeared  in  the  river.  But  while  all  were 
anxious,  and  looking,  the  boat,  on  a  sudden,  rode  in- 
to full  view,  as  by  magic,  and  not  half  the  distance 
from  them  as  was  the  spot  on  which  their  eyes  were 
fixed.  He  had  kept  so  near  the  shore  next  to  them, 
to  avoid  the  force  of  the  current,  that  they  could  not 
see  him  until  he  threw  his  boat  into  the  stream  to  pass 
an  obstruction  ;  and  when  he  did  appear  so  suddenly 
and  so  near,  the  assembly  could  not  suppress  their 


78  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

surprise  and  gladness,  but  welcomed  him  with  a 
shout  which  rebounded  from  hill  to  valley.  Mr. 
Powers  stood  before  them  at  the  appointed  moment. 

Col.  Otis  Freeman,  of  Hanover,  related  to  me  the 
particulars  of  the  first  marriage  ceremony  that  was 
ever  performed  in  that  town.  It  was  in  1767,  and 
Mr.  Powers  officiated.  Col.  Otis  Freeman  attended 
the  wedding.  A  transient  man  came  into  the  town 
of  Hanover,  by  the  name  of  Walbridge,  and  made 
suit  to  Hannah  Smith,  daughter  of  a  Mr.  Smith, 
who  lived  on  the  place  which  Timothy  Smith  im- 
proved some  years  ago,  and,  for  aught  I  know,  does 
at  this  time.  The  parents  of  Hannah  were  very 
much  averse  to  their  daughter's  connection  with  that 
man  ;  but  she  resolved,  and  so  was  resolved.  Wai- 
bridge  happened  to  see  Mr.  Powers  one  day  descend- 
ing the  river  in  his  canoe,  and  he  hailed  him,  and  de- 
sired to  know  if  he  could  return  by  such  a  day,  and 
marry  him  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Smith.  Mr.  Powers 
said  he  would  do  so,  if  Providence  prospered  him. 
He  accordingly  appeared  at  the  house  a  little  after 
sunset ;  the  guests  were  assembled  ;  the  house  being 
lighted  up,  the  couple  presented  themselves,  handed 
in  their  certificate,  and  wished  Mr.  Powers  to  pro- 
ceed. 

It  was  Mr.  Powers'  practice  to  call  on  the  parents 


•        OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  79 

of  the  candidates  for  marriage  to  know  if  they  had 
aught  to  object  to  the  marriage  ;  and  when,  in  this 
case,  he  called  for  the  parents  of  the  bride,  behold, 
they  wore  not  there  !  Mr.  Powers  wished  to  know  if 
they  were  not  living.  "  Yes,  they  were  living  they 
supposed."  He  asked,  if  they  were  not  in  town. 
"  They  supposed  they  were  ;  but  they  did  not  know." 
"  How  long  since  they  were  seen  here  ?  "  "Just  at 
night  ?  "  "  Are  the  parents  averse  to  this  marriage  ?" 
"  They  supposed  they  were,  some."  "Could  they 
not  be  brought  to  attend  there  that  night  ?  "  If  they 
could  not,  he  should  not  proceed  to  the  marriage  cer- 
emony that  night.  This  was  an  unpleasant  predica- 
ment for  all  parties.  But  a  lantern  or  a  torch  was 
found,  and  a  scout  was  sent  forth  in  search  of  the  old 
folks.  They  were  found  at  the  nearest  neighbors, 
which  was  not  very  near,  and  after  much  persuasion, 
they  were  prevailed  on  to  return  home. 

All  parties  were  by  this  time  cool  and  collected. 
The  parents  took  their  seats  in  the  middle  of  the 
room,  between  the  minister  and  the  anxious  couple. 
Mr.  Powers  arose,  and  addressing  himself  to  the  par- 
ents, said,  "Is  this  young  lady  your  daughter?" 
They  bowed  assent.  "  Are  you  willing  I  should  pro- 
ceed to  join  this  couple  in  marriage  ?  "  The  father 
fixed  his  eyes  full  on  Mr.  Powers  some  time,  and  a 


80  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

dead  silence  reigned,  until  Freeman  saw  the  tears 
swelling  in  the  old  man's  eyes,  and  his  chin  shook  like 
an  aspen  leaf,  and  then  came  a  sudden  and  convul- 
sive response — "  Yea  !  "  which  electrified  the  whole 
of  them,  the  a  in  yea  was  sounded  as  broad  as  A  in 
hall,  and  the  e  not  sounded  at  all.  All  sympathized 
with  the  old  people,  and  Mr.  Powers  could  scarcely 
proceed  with  the  ceremony ;  but  it  was  performed, 
and  the  connection  proved  an  unhappy  one.  Wai- 
bridge  was  a  worthless  character.  But  this  was  the 
first  marriage  in  Hanover,  as  Judge  Woodward's  was 
the  first  in  Huverhill — the  results  widely  different. 

Mr.  Powers  being  thus  known,  and  being  generally 
loved  and  respected,  did  much  to  increase  the  settle- 
ment at  Coos.  Persons  often  attended  worship  there 
from  Thetford,  Orford,  Bradford,  and  Piermont. 
There  was  one  Deacon  Howard,  who  lived  near  the 
river  in  Thetford,  who  used  to  ride  to  Newbury  often 
with  his  wife  to  hear  Mr.  Powers,  and  he  loved  him 
as  his  own  soul. 

At  this  time  there  were  no  taverns  between  Char- 
lestown  and  Coos,  and  adventurers  were  necessitated 
to  stop  at  such  houses  as  they  could  find  for  refresh- 
ment and  lodgings.  They  had  called  on  this  Deacon 
Howard,  some  making  him  compensation,  and  some 
not,  until  his  means  for  subsistence  were  running 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  81 

low  ;  and  he  had  resolved  that  it  was  not  his  duty  to 
entertain  any  more  strangers  ;  and  this  he  could  do 
more  conscientiously,  as  there  was  a  sort  of  an  inn 
opened  for  their  accommodation  three  miles  north  of 
him. 

Mr.  Powers,  at  a  certain  time,  passed  down  the 
river  on  horseback,  undiscovered  by  the  deacon,  and 
as  he  was  on  his  return  home,  he  found  he  should  be 
overtaken  by  the  darkness  of  night  before  he  could 
reach  the  inn,  and  as  it  began  to  rain  just  before  he 
came  to  Deacon  Howard's,  he  thought  he  would 
there  stop  and  spend  the  night.  He  accordingly  rode 
up  to  the  door,  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  and 
tapped  with  his  whip  upon  the  door.  The  deacon 
came  to  the  door,  and  asked  what  he  wished  for. 
Mr.  Powers  replied,  that  he  was  journeying  up  the 
river  ;  that  he  was  overtaken  by  the  night  and  by 
rain  ;  and  he  should  like  to  put  up  with  him  for  the 
night.  The  deacon  answered  in  an  abrupt  and  gruff 
tone  of  voice,  "  I  cannot  keep  you.  Folks  have  come 
here  until  they  have  eaten  me  out  of  house  and  home, 
and  we  cannot  consent  to  take  you  in."  Mr.  Powers 
replied  that  he  was  much  fatigued,  and  he  knew  not 
how  to  proceed  farther ;  he  would  pay  him  whatever 
he  was  disposed  to  charge  him.  "  No,"  said  the  dea- 
con, "  I  cannot  keep  you.  There  is  a  house  for  en- 
4* 


82  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

tertainment  three  miles  ahead,  and  you  must  go 
there." 

By  this  time,  the  ojd  lady  had  come  forward,  and 
was  looking  over  her  husband's  shoulder,  listening  to 
the  conversation  as  it  proceeded  ;  and  as  Mr.  Powers 
began  to  turn  his  horse  away  from  the  door,  she  said 
to  her  husband,  "It  seems  to  me,  that  man  speaks 
like  Mr.  Powers  of  Newbury."  "Mr.  Powers!  no, 
he  don't,"  said  he.  "  But  why  don't  you  ask  him 
who  he  is  ?"  said  she.  "I  don't  care  who  he  is," 
said  he  ;  "I  can't  keep  him  ;  "  but,  at  the  same  time, 
stepping  from  his  door,  and  advancing  along  after 
Mr.  Powers,  he  said,  "  Where  are  you  from,  sir  ?  " 
"Newbury,"  replied  Mr.  Powers.  "From,  New- 
bury'?" "Yes,  sir. ''  "Well,  you  know  the  Kev. 
Mr.  Powers,  then,  don't  you  ?"  "Yes,  very  well.'*' 
"And  he  is  a  very  good  man,  aint  he?"  "Some 
have  a  good  opinion  of  him,"  said  Mr.  Powers, 
"much  better  than  I  have."  "Well,  you  may  go 
along." 

By  this  time,  the  old  lady  had  come  up  to  her  hus- 
band in  the  rain,  and  as  the  deacon  was  turning  to  go 
into  the  house,  she  said,  "  Husband,  I  verily  believe 
that  is  Mr.  Powers."  On  hearing  this,  he  turned 
suddenly  on  his  heel,  and  making  rapid  strides  after 
the  stranger,  he  cried  out,  "  Sir,  what  is  your  name?" 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  83 

"My  name  is  Powers,"  was  the  reply.  "You 
rascal!"  exclaimed  the  deacon  ;  and  seizing  him  by 
one  leg,  drew  him  from  his  horse,  held  him  fast  until 
he  got  him  into  the  house,  and  there  he  made  all 
concessions  to  the  man  whom  he  loved  above  all  oth- 
ers. A  very  happy  interview  they  had  of  it,  and  the 
deacon  continued  to  relate  the  particulars  of  this  ad- 
venture with  peculiar  emotions  until  the  close  of  life. 
He  related  them  to  Dr.  Burton;  and  the  doctor  to 
myself. 

Mr.  Powers  spent  nearly  twenty  years  at  Newbury 
and  Haverhill,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  troubles 
which  grew  out  of  the  revolutionary  war,  I  believe 
their  union  was  a  happy  and  prosperous  one. 

Mr.  Powers  was  a  high  whig,  and  by  his  preaching 
and  efforts  for  the  common  cause  of  the  colonies,  he 
drew  upon  him  the  fierce  resentment  of  the  tories, 
and  they  threatened  his  life,  which  induced  him  to 
remove  over  into  Haverhill,  in  the  spring  of  1781. 
This  displeased  many  of  his  friends  in  Newbury,  and 
although  he  continued  to  preach  in  Newbury  one  half 
the  time,  for  a  year  or  two,  yet  it  resulted  in  his  dis- 
missiou  from  the  church  in  Newbury,  some  time  in 
1782.  But  he  preached  still  a  year  or  two  in  Haver- 
hill, and  sometimes  in  Newbury,  to  particular 
friends  ;  but  he  finally  left,  and  went  and  settled  on 


84  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Deer  Isle,  Me.,  where  he  closed  his  labors  by  his  de- 
cease in  May,  1800,  aged  72.  He  died  of  a  cancer. 
When  told  by  his  son  Jonathan,  who  was  then  a  set- 
tled minister  at  Penobscot,  Me.,  that  he  was  dying, 
he  looked  around  on  his  family,  and  replied,  "The 
will  of  the  Lord  be  done,"  and  yielded  up  the  ghost. 
Mrs.  Powers  was  Martha  Hale,  of  Sutton,  Mass. 
She  was  an  intelligent,  pious,  and  superior  woman. 
She  survived  her  husband  until  January,  1802,  and 
died  suddenly  while  on  a  visit  to  her  children  in 
Newbury. 

To  those  who  sat  under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Pow- 
ers, of  whom  there  are  some  still  living,  and  those 
who  have  looked  upon  him  as  their  spiritual  father, 
it  will  be  pleasing  to  learn  by  what  means  their  min- 
ister was  prepared  to  preach  to  them  the  unsearcha- 
ble riches  of  Christ.  The  facts  which  I  shall  here 
record  I  received  from  an  eye  and  ear  witness  of  what 
she  related.  It  was  the  sister  of  the  Rev.  Peter  Pow- 
ers. 

I  have  already  related  that  Mr.  Powers  was  the 
oldest  child  of  Capt.  Peter  Powers  and  Anna,  his 
wife  ;  that  they  were  the  first  settlers  in  the  town  of 
Hollis.  I  now  relate  that  for  about  two  years  their 
nearest  neighbor  was  at  the  travelling  distance  of  ten 
miles,  and  this  solitary  family  sustained  all  the  pri- 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  85 

vat  ion  s  and  hardships  which  were  incident  to  pio- 
neers in  these  New  England  settlements.  For  about 
twelve  years  they  had  neither  schools,  or  a  preached 
gospel  ;  but  they  carried  with  them  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures and  the  love  of  God  in  their  hearts.  Their 
children  were  instructed  in  the  principles  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  they  witnessed  the  blessedness  of  godliness 
in  the  daily  walk  of  their  parents.  At  an  early  age 
Peter  became  a  devoted  child  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
was  endeared  to  his  parents  by  a  thousand  ties  ;  for 
they  looked  to  him  as  their  first  helper,  under  God, 
and  fondly  hoped  he  would  be  their  support  and  sol- 
ace in  old  age.  But  as  Peter  grew  in  years,  a  flame 
was  kindled  in  his  breast  which  could  neither  be  ex- 
tinguished nor  suppressed  ;  and  his  parents  often 
heard  him  say,  "  He  had  an  ardent  desire  to  enjoy 
the  advantages  of  an  academic  and  a  collegiate  edu- 
cation." But  as  these  seemed  altogether  incompati- 
ble with  their  circumstances,  and  militated  against 
all  their  previous  arrangements,  those  desires  of  the 
son  were  treated  by  the  parents  as  visionary  ;  and  in- 
admissible, and  for  a  time  no  human  ear  was  offend- 
ed by  the  importunities  of  the  son  ;  and  the  parents 
hoped  that  the  subject  was  relinquished  and  forgotten 
by  him,  until  it  was  revived  to  them  in  the  following 
manner  : — 


86  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES 

These  parents  were  of  Puritan  strictness  in  the 
government  of  their  family,  and  neither  their  sons 
nor  their  daughters  were  allowed  in  ordinary  cases  to 
be  absent  from  the  family  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  eve- 
ning, which  was  the  hour  of  prayer.  But  it  appeared 
oft  a  calm  summer's  evening  that  Peter  was  absent  at 
the  hour  of  prayer ;  nor  did  he  appear  when  it  was 
necessary  to  close  and  secure  the  house  against  the 
intrusion  of  the  Indians.  The  parents  passed  the 
night  in  agitation  of  spirits.  At  one  moment,  they 
trembled  in  view  of  his  having  fallen  a  victim  to  In- 
dian treachery  and  violence,  and  their  imaginations 
presented  him  pierced  and  lacerated  upon  the  ground, 
or  hurried  away  into  a  captivity  more  appalling  than 
death.  At  another  time  they  were  vexed  with  the 
apprehension  that  their  son  had  for  the  first  time  ab- 
sented himself  in  wanton  disregard  of  their  views  and 
feelings.  The  night  was  at  length  spent,  and  the 
father  rose  at  the  dawn  of  day ;  and  as  he  unbarred 
the  door,  he  saw  his  joung  son  emerging  from  the 
forest,  and  approaching  the  dwelling  with  a  solemn 
and  down-cast  look.  The  father  beheld  his  son  with 
the  mixed  emotion  of  joy  and  resentment  ',—joy,  be- 
cause he  had  received  him  safe  and  sound — resentment 
because  he  supposed  there  could  be  no  adequate  cause 
to  justify  the  elopement ;  yet  he  restrained  himself 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  87 

and  called  for  no  explanation  until  the  hour  of  prayer 
when  he  was  accustomed  to  administer  reproof,  if  it 
was  necessary.  The  family  being  seated,  and  a  por- 
tion of  Scripture  having  been  read,  the  father  paused, 
and  fixing  a  reproving  look  upon  Peter,  said,  "  Where 
did  you  spend  the  night,  Peter  ?"  The  son  was  Ex- 
ceedingly embarrassed,  and  did  not  return  a  prompt 
and  explicit  answer.  The  father  more  sternly  re- 
peats, "Peter,  where  did  you  spend  the  night?" 
The  son  faintly  and  meekly  replied,  while  the  tears 
coursed  down  his  cheeks,  "  I  spent  it  in  the  woods, 
sir."  "In  the  woods?"  said  the  father;  hoio  did 
you  spend  it?"  "In  prayer,  sir."  A  pause  of  a 
moment  succeeded,  and  the  subdued  soul  of  the 
father  rushed  to  the  eye,  to  seek  the  relief  which  ut- 
terance now  denied.  But  soon  the  father  resumed 
the  inquiry,  and,  in  an  altered  and  subdued  tone, 
said,  "  My  son,  what  were  you  praying  for,  during 
the  night?"  "That  I  might  go  to  college." 
"  What  would  you  go  to  college  for,  Peter  ?  "  "  That 
I  might  be  prepared  to  preach  the  gospel  to  sinners." 
The  father  turned  and  looked  upon  Anna,  his  wife 
in  the  deepest  emotion,  but  could  not  speak.  As 
soon  as  he  possessed  the  power  of  utterance,  he  led 
in  devotion,  and  as  soon  as  Peter  had  gone  out,  the 
father  said  to  Anna,  in  a  soft  and  tremulous  voice, 


88  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

"  I  do  not  see  but  we  must  give  up  the  matter,  and 
let  Peter  go  to  college."  The  result  was  a  collegiate 
course,  a  life  of  eminent  usefulness,  a  triumphant 
death,  and  that  eternal  reward  which  is  promised  to 
those  who  turn  many  to  righteousness. 

'Mr.  Powers'  dismission  from  Newbury  church  was 
the  first  step  towards  a  dissolution  of  the  union  be- 
tween Haverhill  and  Newbury  in  all  ecclesiastical 
concerns  ;  and  it  does  not  appear  that  they  ever  as- 
sisted each  other  in  supporting  the  gospel  afterwards. 
And  the  probability  is  each  town  was  beginning  to 
feel  itself  able  to  support  preaching  independent  of 
the  other.  We  find  a  proposition  coming  from  Mr. 
Powers  to  Newbury  church  and  society,  so  early  as 
December,  1781,  "for  an  agreement  between  the 
town  of  Haverhill  and  the  town  of  Newbury  to  be 
separate  parishes."  This  proposition  was  undoubted- 
ly from  the  people  of  Haverhill,  and'  therefore  we 
find  a  vote  of  Newbury,  December  31,  1781,  "That 
the  above  committee  treat  with  the  town  of  Haverhill, 
relative  to  the  Rev.  Peter  Powers."  They  also  vote 
to  make  a  settlement  with  Mr.  Powers  for  all  arrear- 
ages. Mr.  Samuel  Powers,  of  Newbury,  son  of  the 
Rev.  Peter  Powers,  and  a  very  worthy  citizen,  says, 
"he  can  well  remember  the  time  of  his  father's  dis- 
mission from  Newbury  ;  that  Newbury  church  did 


OF    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  89 

not  unite  in  the  council  for  his  dismission,  and  the 
council  sat  in  Hivverhill."  But  the  church  in  Haver- 
hill  was  not  constituted  a  separate  church  until  some 
years  after  the  sitting  of  this  council,  an  event  to  be 
noticed  hereafter. 

I  will  in  this  place  relate  an  extraordinary  case  of 
instinct  in  a  cow,  as  related  to  me  by  Capt.  Howard, 
and  I  relate  it  here,  before  I  proceed  to  the  events  of 
1769,  because  it  occurred  in  the  first  years  of  these 
settlements.  Col.  John  Hurd  came  into  Haverhill  at 
an  early  period  of  the  settlement,  from  Portsmouth, 
and  lived  a  little  north  of  Moses  Southard's,  or  the 
old  Porter  place,  at  Horse  Meadow.  He  came  first 
to  Charlestown,  and  then  up  the  river,  as  most  others 
did.  With  him  he  brought  a  valuable  cow,  which  he 
turned  upon  the  meadow,  where,  for  aught  that  ap- 
peared, she  was  well  content  to  abide  ;  but,  after  a 
lapse  of  a  few  weeks,  the  cow  was  on  a  sudden  among 
the  missing,  and  nothing  could  be  found  of  her. 
They  went  through  both  settlements,  and  searched 
in  vain  ;  ho  one  had  seen  her.  The  colonel  then 
employed  Indian  runners  to  go  in  pursuit  of  her  ; 
they  were  out  one  full  week,  and  returned  without 
her,  but  reported  that  they  had  been  on  her  trail  in 
Coventry  ;  but  east  of  that,  they  could  discover  no 
trace  of  her.  Hurd  gave  her  up  as  lost.  But  the 


90  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

next  autumn,  there  came  a  man  from  Portsmouth, 
bearing  letters  from  friends,  and  in  one  of  them  it 
was  stated  that  on  such  a  morning,  the  old  cow  was 
found  in  the  barn-yard  from  which  she  took  her  de- 
parture some  months  before.  She  was  in  good  keep- 
ing. Now,  we  must  consider,  that  from  Portsmouth 
to  Charlestown  is  at  this  day,  in  the  most  direct 
route,  ninety-six  miles ;  from  Charlestowu  to  Horse 
Meadow  nearly  seventy  miles  ;  and  from  Horse  Mead- 
ow to  Portsmouth  cannot  be  less  than  one  hundred 
miles,  for  it  is  the  hypotenuse  of  the  triangle,  which 
has  Portsmouth,  Charlestown,  and  Haverhill  for  its 
angles.  The  cow  unquestionably  travelled  all  three 
sides  of  the  triangle ;  and  what  seems  most  surpris- 
ing is,  that  after  travelling  more  than  one  hundred 
miles,  as  the  roads  then  were,  north  of  west,  and 
much  of  that  distance  was  woods,  then  more  than 
seventy  miles  east  of  north,  all  woods,  the  cow  should 
have  kept  in  her  mind  the  direct  bearing  of  Ports- 
mouth, and  that  she  should  have  made  the  journey 
from  Haverhill  to  Portsmouth,  an  entire  wilderness, 
and  have  reached  her  old  home  in  safety,  without 
guide  or  protector.  She  might  have  fallen  in  with 
Barrington  or  Stratford,  twenty  miles  north-west  of 
Portsmouth,  but  she  did  not  do  it,  probably,  or  she 
would  have  been  taken  up  ;  yet  she  performed  her 
tour,  and  gained  her  destination. 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  91 

I  now  come  to  speak  of  events  of  1769,  and  on- 
ward. It  was  in  April,  of  this  year,  that  Col.  Chas. 
Johnston  came  into  Haverhill,  and  settled  at  the 
Corner.  Col.  Johnston  was  born  at  Hampstead,  N. 
H.,  1737.  He  married  Ruth  Marsh,  of  Londonderry, 
N.  H.,  and  came  to  Haverhill  at  thirty-two  years  of 
age. 

Col.  Johnston  had  departed  this  life  prior  to  my 
coming  to  Haverhill,  and  I  am  wholly  dependent  up- 
on others  for  the  information  I  have  respecting  him. 
But  no  man's  character  could  be  better  established  in 
the  public  mind,  and  seldom  can  we  find  greater 
unanimity  with  the  public  in  bestowing  on  one  man 
the  meed  of  commendation.  There  is  still  a  blessed 
savor  of  him  remaining  in  Haverhill  and  vicinity. 

I  am  in  possession  of  an  interesting  occurrence 
which  took  place  on  the  journey  of  Col.  Charles  and 
bis  family  from  Hampstead  to  Haverhill.  I  have  it 
in  the  hand-writing  of  Mr.  Richard  Wallace,  of  Thet- 
ford,  Vt.,  who  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia,  in  1753,  and 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  accompanied  Mr.  Johnston 
to  Haverhill,  I  shall  give  it  in  his  own  words,  with 
the  correction  of  some  errors  in  orthography  and 
grammatical  construction  of  sentences.  Mr.  Wal- 
lace's early  opportunities  for  an  education  were  lim- 
ited, as  nearly  all  were  at  that  day  ;  but  he  sustained 


92  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

a  character  above  suspicion  for  veracity,  and  had 
been  a  professed  disciple  of  Christ  many  years  when 
he  wrote  me  this  statement.  He  says  : — 

"On  the  second  day's  journey  from  Hampstead, 
N.  H.,  (this  was  in  April,  1769,  in  the  afternoon  of 
this  day)  my  feet  became  tender  and  swollen,  and 
much  parboiled,  as  was  the  common  phrase  at  that 
day.  This  caused  me  to  fall  in  the  rear  of  the  family 
many  rods.  I  then  concluded  I  would  take  off  my 
shoes  and  stockings,  and  travel  bare-footed,  expecting 
by  this  means  to  be  able  to  overtake  the  family. 
But  my  feet  being  swollen,  and  stockings  wet,  I  was 
hindered  in  drawing  them  a  good  while,  and  I  fell  far 
in  the  rear.  I  then  hastened  my  steps  forward  as 
fast  as  I  could,  the  sun  being  about  a  half  an  hour 
high  at  night,  as  near  as  I  can  recollect.  After  wad- 
ing a  large  brook,  I  entered  the  eleven-mile-woods,  for 
the  first  time,  in  the  upper  part  of  Boscawen.  I  had 
not  travelled  far  before  I  came  to  ice  in  the  sled  road, 
both  in  the  middle  and  at  the  side,  although  the 
snow  was  for  the  most  part  gone  in  the  woods.  But 
I  made  all  the  speed  I  could,  till  it  was  almost  dark, 
when  I  came  to  a  brook  or  stream,  that  I  dared  not 
attempt  to  ford  without  daylight,  nor  could  I  find 
any  tree  fallen  across  the  stream,  on  which  I  might 
pass  over.  But  concluding  I  must  stay  there  for  the 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  93 

night,  I  went  in  immediate  search  of  a  convenient 
place  to  rest.  I  soon  found  a  large  tree  fallen  on  the 
side  of  a  knoll,  the  butt  end  lying  np  from  the 
ground,  leaving  just  room  enough  for  me  to  crawl 
under.  I  took  my  long  stockings,  and  drew  the  dry 
part  of  them  on  to  my  feet,  and  crawled  under  the 
tree,  and  being  very  tired,  I  soon  fell  asleep  ;  and  I 
think  it  likely  I  slept  two  or  three  hours,  or  more — I 
cannot  tell  exactly.  But  my  anxiety  did  not  leave 
me  when  asleep  ;  and  when  I  awoke,  I  was  very  cold, 
as  there  was  a  hard  frost  that  night.  Besides  this,  I 
found  myself  saluted  from  all  parts  of  the  solitary 
and  dreary  wilderness,  by  all  the  animal  inhabitants 
of  the  forest,  like  a  band  of  instrumental  music,  the 
wolves  taking  the  chief  lead,  and  carrying  the  high- 
est notes  ;  or  something  like  a  bass-viol  and  bassoon 
in  their  different  strains.  They  did  not  appear  to  be 
far  off,  but  did  not  come  near  me  to  offer  any  vio- 
lence ;  yet  their  noise  was  some  alarming,  and  very  dis- 
agreeable, since  the  whole  region  of  the  forest  seemed 
to  be  alive  with  these  different  kinds  of  animals.  By 
and  by,  somebody  cried  out  over  my  head,  and 
barked  like  a  little  dog,  then  again  screamed  in  the 
voice  of  women,  and  laughed  out  like  parrots.  I 
had  not  learned  their  grammar,  nor  to  raise  and  fall 
their  notes,  for  I  was  but  a  boy  from  the  sea  coast, 


94  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

and  had  never  heard  the  like  before.  But  I  thought 
I  would  not  make  any  disturbance  with  them,  if  they 
would  let  me  alone  until  morning.  But  as  soon  as 
morning  appeared,  I  crawled  out  from  under  the 
tree,  and  suddenly  screamed  with  all  my  might, 
"Stop  your  noise!"  I  was  immediately  obeyed. 
And  behold,  the  noisy  creatures  over  my  head  were 
no  other  than  great  owls,  roosting  upon  a  branch  of  a 
tree  !  But  I  soon  made  ready  to  decamp,  though  my 
shoes  and  stockings  were  so  frozen,  that  I  could  only 
get  on  my  shoes  slipshod.  After  some  search,  I  found 
a  log  which  enabled  me  to  get  over  the  brook,  and  I 
found  the  road,  and  I  walked  and  ran  as  I  could, 
some  miles,  and  I  reached  Favor's  tavern  in  New- 
Chester,  that  now  is,  just  as  the  sun  arose.  Some  of 
the  company  were  up,  and  some  getting  up,  and 
friends  never  came  together  in  greater  joy.  I  never 
shall  forget  how  Col.  Charles  looked  when  he  told  me 
what  concern  he  had  had  for  me  through  the  night. 

"RICHARD  WALLACE." 

I  would,  in  conclusion  of  this  narration,  raise  the 
inquiry  of  those  youth  of  sixteen,  into  whose  hands 
the  above  statement  may  come,  whether  they  would 
covet  such  a  night's  rest  ;  and  whether  such  a  sere- 
nade from  the  beasts  of  the  wilderness  would  be  to 
them  "some  alarming,  and  very  disagreeable  !  " 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  95 

When  Col.  Johnston  arrived  at  Uaverhill,  ho  pur- 
chased the  ground  where  Uaverhill  Corner  now  is, 
and  located  himself  on  the  ground  where  Capt.  Pow- 
ers pitched  his  camp  for  the  night,  in  July,  1754, 
and  wrote  in  his  journal — "  Here  was  the  best  of  up- 
land, and  some  quantity  of  large  white  pines." 

I  had  it  from  the  widow  of  Col.  Johnston,  who 
survived  the  death  of  her  husband  several  years,  and 
died,  in  1816,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five,  that  when 
they  came  to  Haverhill,  and  found  themselves  hem- 
med in  on  every  side  by  those  towering  trees  and  a 
dense  underwood,  she  became  very  much  discontented, 
and  endured  for  some  time  all  the  melancholy  and 
depression  which  arise  from  home-sickness.  When 
suffering  from  the  strongest  paroxysms  of  this  mala- 
dy, she  would  sometimes  go  out  to  her  husband, 
while  he  was  felling  trees  upon  what  is  now  the  com- 
mon, and  relate  her  distresses  to  him,  in  hopes  that 
he  might  be  induced  to  relinquish  his  hold  on  Coos, 
and  return  to  their  friends  at  the  east.  But  the  col- 
onel, to  amuse  her,  and  to  dissipate  her  melancholy 
would  scat  her  upon  a  large  stump,  and  then  begin  to 
describe  to  her  the  future  village  which  they  should 
ere  long  witness  in  that  place.  "  On  such  a  line 
would  be  the  main  street  ;  on  such  a  spot  the  court- 
house would  stand  ;  the  academy  would  occupy  such 


96  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

a  site,  and  the  meeting-house  stand  there  I  "  For  the 
moment,  she  would  seem  to  fancy  it  a  reality  ;  but 
the  next  sober  thought  would  dissipate  her  relief,  and 
she  would  exclaim,  "  Mr.  Johnston,  there  can't  be 
any  such  thing  !  I  know  there  can't.  It  never  will 
be  in  this  world  ! " 

It  is  probable  that  the  colonel  thought  as  little  of 
this  ever  being  realized  by  them  as  she  did  ;  and  yet 
both  lived  to  witness,  almost  to  a  jot  and  tittle,  those 
very  predictions  fulfilled.  And  no  man  in  that  town 
ever  contributed  more  towards  converting  that  wil- 
derness into  a  delightful  village  than  Col.  Johnston. 
He  was  laborious  and  prudent,  yet  generous  and 
brave.  He  accumulated  a  handsome  estate  ;  and  by 
his  beneficence,  he  often  caused  the  poor,  the  widow, 
and  the  fatherless  to  sing  for  joy,  and  their  blessings 
came  upon  him. 

He  was  a  man  of  great  muscular  powers,  and  he 
often  put  them  forth,  not  to  foment  quarrels  and 
broils,  as  is  often  the  case  in  a  rude  state  of  society, 
but  to  suppress  outbreakings  and  fightings  ;  and 
those  who  were  acquainted  with  him,  refrained  from 
those  hostile  attacks  in  his  presence,  for  they  knew 
the  colonel  would  immediately  stand  between  the 
parties,  the  advocate  of  peace  and  good  order. 

It  is  related  of  him  that  he  was  passing  the  inn  at 


OP    THE    COO3    COUNTRY.  97 

the  Corner,  at  a  certain  time,  just  when  two  stran- 
gers, who  had  met  there,  fell  into  a  violent  conten- 
tion, and  came  to  blows.  The  encounter  was  sharp 
and  bloody  ;  but,  as  the  colonel's  custom  was,  he 
walked  up  to  the  combatants,  and  placing  his  hands 
gently  upon  their  shoulders,  began  to  expostulate 
with  them  in  the  kindest  manner,  when  they  mutual- 
ly left  beating  each  other,  and  commenced  dealing 
blows  at  him,  who  would  have  set  them  as  one  again. 
Upon  this,  the  colonel  held  one  in  each  hand  firmly 
by  the  shoulder,  and  suddenly  extending  his  arms  to 
the  right  and  left,  he  threw  the  assailants  apart,  but 
brought  them  again  in  contact,  face  to  face,  in  front 
of  him,  with  such  power,  that  before  this  was  re- 
peated the  third  time,  they  called  out  for  quarter, 
nor  did  he  let  go  of  them  until  they  promised  to  be 
at  peace  with  each  other. 

It  was  said  in  his  day,  and  is  said  to  this  day,  that 
Col.  Johnston  was  a  peace-maker,  both  in  church 
and  state.  I  have  one  instance  of  this,  given  by  Mr. 
Wallace,  who  lived  with  the  colonel  after  they  came 
to  Ilaverhill.  He  says,  in  a  letter  bearing  date  De- 
cember 25,  1828,  "  Esquire  Charles  was  the  only  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  in  Haverhill  prior  to  1773.  I  will 
relate  one  anecdote  of  him  in  honor  to  his  memory, 
and  for  a  pious  example  for  his  descendants  and 
5 


98  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

others.  Soon  after  his  appointment  for  justice  of  the 
peace,  there  came  a  man  to  him  with  an  earnest  re- 
quest for  a  writ  against  one  of  his  neighbors.  Es- 
quire Johnston  put  him  off  by  relating  to  him  the 
unhappy  consequences  of  neighbors  going  to  law  with 
each  other  ;  and  recommended  that  he  should  go 
home  and  see  his  neighbor  in  a  subdued  temper  of 
mind,  and  see  if  he  would  not  pay  him.  The  man 
went  away,  but  soon  returned  with  a  bitter  complaint 
and  demanded  a  writ.  The  colonel  left  his  business, 
called  for  his  horse  to  be  saddled,  and  said  to  the 
man,  '  I  am  going  with  you  to  see  if  this  matter  can- 
not be  settled  without  expense  and  strife.'  When 
they  came  to  the  man  so  much  complained  of,  the 
colonel  told  him  his  business,  and  that  he  came  for 
the  sake  of  peace.  The  man  told  him  he  was  ready 
to  settle  the  account,  and  always  had  been  ;  and  be- 
fore they  separated,  all  matters  were  adjusted,  and 
the  men  parted  in  friendship."  How  much  expense 
and  strife  might  be  avoided  annually,  if  all  our  mag- 
istrates were  of  the  same  stamp  !  We  say,  "  Blessed 
are  the  peace-makers." 

I  have  another  anecdote  of  the  colonel,  related  to 
me  by  Esquire  Jonathan  Hale,  of  Coventry,  N.  H., 
who  was  knowing  to  the  story.  A  poor  man  of  Cov- 
entry bought  a  cow  of  Col.  Johnston  upon  credit. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  99 

The  cow  was  the  principal  support  of  the  family  ;  but 
after  she  had  been  kept  through  the  winter,  she  sick- 
ened and  died  at  the  opening  of  sprihg.  The  man 
was  distressed  in  view  of  the  wants  of  his  family,  for 
he  saw  no  way  of  relief.  He  knew  it  would  be  next 
to  impossible  for  him  to  purchase  a  cow  at  that  sea- 
son, as  it  was  generally  known  that  he  was  still  owing 
for  the  cow  that  he  had  lost ;  and  he  had  nothing  to 
pay  for  that,  or  another.  He  felt  that  he  could  not 
go  to  Col.  Johnston  for  another,  while  he  was  still 
owing  him  for  the  first ;  but  as  it  is  said,  "  Hunger 
will  break  through  a  stone  wall,"  so  the  distresses  of 
his  family  impelled  him  to  return  to  Col.  Charles,  as 
he  was  the  only  man  living  who  inspired  him  with  a 
gleam  of  hope.  He  went,  and  found  the  colonel  at 
labor  in  his  field.  He  related  to  him  his  disaster,  and 
his  distresses.  The  colonel  sympathized  with  him 
deeply,  and  knew  not  what  he  could  do.  The  poor 
man  then  told  him  his  object  in  visiting  him,  which 
was  to  see  if  he  could  not  obtain  another  cow  of  him. 
The  colonel  told  him,  "  He  did  not  see  how  he  could 
supply  him,  for  they  had  but  two  cows  that  season, 
and  they  were  going  to  building,  must  have  an  unus- 
ual number  of  laborers,  and  they  should  need  all  that 
could  be  afforded  by  two  cows."  The  poor  man 
replied,  "  I  did  not  come  to  you,  colonel,  with  this 


100  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

request,  supposing  that  you  could  relieve  ine  without 
great  inconvenience  to  yourself,  and  a  sacrifice  of 
interest,  yet  I  was  emboldened  to  make  known  my 
necessity." 

The  colonel  paused  in  silence  for  a  time,  and  man- 
ifested that  there  was  a  deep  conflict  between  his 
sympathies  and  his  circumstances.  At  length  he 
said,  "  I  will  go  to  the  house  and  see  what  Mrs.  John- 
ston says."  They  went  to  the  house,  and  the  colonel 
related  to  his  wife  what  had  befallen  the  man,  and 
what  was  his  present  object.  Mrs.  Johnston  very 
naturally  exclaimed,  "  You  are  not  a  going  to  let  one 
of  our  cows  go,  are  you  ? "  And  here  she  related 
what  a  demand  they  would  have  that  season  for  both 
cows.  The  colonel  heard  her  through  patiently,  and 
then  said,  "  Do  you  not  think  that  we  can  do  better 
with  one  cow  than  this  poor  man  can  do,  with  his 
young  children,  without  any  ?  "  Mrs.  Johnston  was 
silent.  The  colonel  turned  to  the  man,  and  said, 
"You  will  take  my  cow." 

The  poor  man  took  his  cow,  and  returned  joyously 
with  her  to  his  family.  How  blessed  is  fellow-feeling  ! 
and  still  more  blessed,  when  it  is  cherished  by  true 
piety  and  benevolence  !  If  I  know  my  own  heart,  I 
would  rather  have  this  written  of  my  son  than  leave 
him  in  possession  of  the  most  splendid  crown  in 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  101 

Europe.  I  have  wondered  a  thousand  times,  and  still 
wonder,  why  men  of  wealth  do  not  secure  to  them- 
selves, more  frequently  than  they  do,  the  happiness 
which  Col.  Johnston  experienced  in  sending  that  man 
home  with  a  light  and  grateful  heart.  We  have  no 
means  of  knowing  whether  that  poor  man  was  ever 
able  to  remunerate  the  colonel  or  not.  No  matter. 
If  he  did  not,  the  Lord  has  done  it,  a  thousand  fold, 
and  verily,  there  is  a  reward  for  the  righteous. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  extraordinary  muscular  pow- 
ers of  Col.  Johnston.  I  must  relate  one  more  event 
of  his  life,  illustrative  both  of  his  physical  power  and 
of  his  courage.  At  the  time  when  the  New  Hamp- 
shire troops  signalized  themselves  at  the  battle  of 
Bennington,  under  Gen.  Stark,  Col.  Johnston  was 
there,  and  sustained  a  part  in  the  brilliant  achieve- 
ments of  that  ever-memorable  day.  After  Col.  Baum 
had  surrendered  to  the  American  troops,  and  the 
battle  was  renewed  by  the  arrival  of  Col.  Breyman, 
Col.  Johnston,  in  obedience  to  orders  from  Gen. 
Stark,  was  necessitated  to  pass  through  a  narrow  strip 
of  woods  on  foot  and  alone,  to  bear  some  orders  to 
another  division  of  the  American  army.  He  had  no 
weapon  of  defence  but  a  stout  staff,  which  he  had  cut 
in  the  woods  that  day,  as  he  was  passing  on  to  Ben- 
ningtou  from  New  Hampshire.  Thus  equipped,  he 


,>*• 

102  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

came  suddenly  upon  a  British  scout,  in  ambush, 
placed  there  to  intercept  communications  between  the 
different  divisions  of  the  Americans.  The  party  in 
ambush  was  commanded  by  a  Hessian  lieutenant. 
As  Johnston  came  up,  this  officer  stepped  forth,  sword 
in  hand,  and  claimed  him  as  his  prisoner.  The  word 
was  no  more  than  uttered,  before  the  sword  was 
struck  from  the  hand  of  the  officer  by  Johnston's 
staff,  and  as  soon  did  Johnston  have  possession  of  that 
sword,  and  pointing  it  at  the  breast  of  the  Hessian, 
declared  to  him,  that  he  was  that  moment  a  dead 
man,  if  he  and  his  party  did  not  throw  down  their 
arms.  The  officer  turned  to  his  men  and  said,  "We 
are  prisoners  of  war."  The  soldiers  threw  down  their 
arms,  and  Johnston  marched  them  before  him  to  the 
American  lines,  where  they  were  received  by  our 
troops. 

The  colonel  returned  with  the  sword  to  his  family, 
and  presenting  it  to  his  only  son,  Capt.  Michael  John- 
ston, now  of  Haverhill,  said,  "This  sword  was  won 
by  valor — let  it  never  be  retaken  through  cowardice." 
The  sword  I  have  seen.  It  was  a  splendid  article  of 
the  kind.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  writing  upon  it, 
formed  by  etching,  and  the  officer's  name,  which  I  do 
not  now  recollect.  This  sword,  I  have  been  told,  was 
brought  forth  and  exhibited  for  the  mournful  gratifi- 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  103 

cation  of  spectators  on  the  day  of  the  colonel's  funeral 
solemnities.  I  am  told  that  it  was  the  colonel's 
expressed  wish,  before  his  death,  that  that  sword 
might  descend  from  him  in  the  line  <>£  the  oldest 
male  heir,  and  that  it  has  already  gone  into  the  pos- 
session of  the  Rev.  Charles  Johnston,  of  the  town  of 
Locke,  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y. 

Col.  Johnston  was  the  first  captain  in  the  town  of 
Haverhill ;  was  for  many  years  a  justice  of  the  peace ; 
a  colonel,  a  representative  of  the  town  many  years ;  a 
judge  of  probate,  and  a  deacon  in  the  church.  Col. 
Johnston's  house  was  surrounded  by  a  fort  at  Haver- 
hill  Corner,  during  the  revolutionary  war,  as  was 
Judge  Ladd's,  a  little  north  of  the  old  meeting-house, 
on  Ladd  street ;  also,  Capt.  Timothy  Barns',  who 
lived  near  the  tavern,  opposite  the  meeting-house,  in 
the  north  parish  in  Haverhill.  Col.  Johnston  depart- 
ed this  life,  March  5,  1813,  aged  seventy-six. 

In  the  summer  of  1770,  this  whole  section  of  coun- 
try was  visited  by  an  extraordinary  calamity,  such  a 
one  as  this  country  never  experienced  before  or  since, 
beyond  what  I  shall  here  specify.  It  was  an  army  of 
worms,  which  extended  from  Lancaster,  N.  H.,  to 
Northfield,  in  Massachusetts.  They  began  to  appear 
the  latter  part  of  July,  1770,  and  continued  their 
ravages  until  September.  The  inhabitants  denomi- 


104  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

nated  them  the  "  Northern  Army,"  as  they  seemed 
to  advance  from  the  north- west,  and  to  pass  east  and 
south,  although  I  do  not  learn  that  they  ever  passed 
the  high  lands  between  the  Connecticut  and  Merri- 
mack  Elvers.  They  were  altogether  innumerable  for 
multitude.  Dr.  Burton,  of  Thetford,  Vt.,  told  me 
that  he  had  seen  whole  pastures  so  covered  that  he 
could  not  put  down  his  finger  in  a  single  spot,  with- 
out placing  it  upon  a  worm.  He  said,  he  had  seen 
more  than  ten  bushels  in  a  heap.  They  were  unlike 
any  thing  which  the  present  generation  have  ever 
seen.  There  was  a  stripe  upon  the  back  like  black 
velvet :  on  either  side  a  yellow  stripe  from  end  to  end ; 
and  the  rest  of  the  body  was  brown.  They  were 
sometimes  seen  not  larger  than  a  pin  ;  but  in  their 
maturity,  they  were  as  long  as  a  man's  finger,  and 
proportionably  large  in  circumference.  They  appear- 
ed to  be  in  great  haste  except  when  they  halted  to 
devour  their  food.  They  filled  the  houses  of  the  in- 
habitants, and  entered  their  kneading-troughs,  as  did 
the  frogs  in  Egypt.  They  would  go  up  the  side  of  a 
house,  and  over  it,  in  such  a  compact  column,  that 
nothing  of  boards  or  shingles  could  be  seen  !  They 
did  not  take  hold  of  the  pumpkin-vine,  peas,  pota- 
toes, or  flax  ;  but  wheat  and  corn  disappeared  before 
them  as  by  magic.  They  would  climb  up  the  stalks  of 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  105 

wheat,  eat  off  the  stalk  just  below  the  head,  and 
almost  as  soon  as  the  head  had  fallen  upon  the  ground, 
it  was  devoured.  To  prevent  this,  the  men  would 
"  draw  the  rope,"  as  they  termed  it ;  that  is,  two  men 
would  take  a  rope,  one  at  each  end,  and  pulling  from 
each  other  until  it  was  nearly  straightened,  they  would 
then  pass  through  their  wheat  fields,  and  brush  off 
the  worms  from  the  stalks,  and  by  perpetual  action 
they  retarded  the  destruction  of  their  wheat ;  but  it 
was  doomed,  finally,  to  extinction. 

There  were  fields  of  corn  on  the  meadows  in  Haver- 
hill  and  Newbury  standing  so  thick,  large  and  tall, 
that  in  some  instances  it  was  difficult  to  see  a  man 
standing  more  than  one  rod  in  the  field  from  the  out- 
ermost row  ;  but  in  ten  days  from  the  first  appearing 
of  the  Northern  Army,  nothing  remained  of  this  corn 
but  the  bare  stalks  !  Every  expedient  was  resorted 
to  by  the  inhabitants  to  protect  their  fields  of  corn, 
but  all  in  vain.  In  the  first  place,  they  dug  trenches 
around  their  fields,  a  foot  and  a  half  deep,  hoping 
this  might  prove  a  defence  ;  but  they  soon  filled  the 
ditch,  and  the  millions  that  were  in  the  rear  went 
over  on  the  backs  of  their  fellows  in  the  trench,  and 
took  possession  of  the  interdicted  food. 

The  inhabitants  then  adopted  another  expedient  to 
save  those  fields  yet  standing.  They  cut  a  trench  as 
5* 


106  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

before ;  then  took  round  and  smooth  sapling  sticks, 
of  six  or  eight  inches  in  diameter,  and  six  or  eight 
feet  in  length,  sharpened  them  to  a  point,  and  with 
these  made  holes  in  the  bottom  of  the  ditch,  once  in 
two  or  three  feet ;  and,  as  their  meadows  were  bot- 
tom lands,  they  experienced  no  difficulty  in  extending 
these  holes  to  two  and  three  feet  in  depth,  below  the 
bottom  of  the  trench.  The  sides  of  these  holes  were 
made  smooth  by  the  bar  or  lever  which  made  the 
holes,  and  as  soon  as  the  worm  stepped  from  the  prec- 
ipice, he  landed  at  the  bottom,  and  could  not  ascend 
again  ;  indeed,  he  was  soon  buried  alive  by  his  unfor- 
.tunate  fellows,  who  succeeded  him  in  his  downfall. 
Now,  those  who  made  these  holes  to  entrap  their  in- 
vaders, went  around  their  fields,  and  plunged  these 
pointed  levers  into  the  holes  filled  with  worms,  and 
destroyed  every  one  of  them  at  a  single  thrust,  wheth- 
er it  was  a  peck  or  half  a  bushel.  By  unremitting 
effort  in  this  way,  some  reserved  to  themselves  corn 
enough  for  seed  the  next  year. 

About  the  first  of  September,  the  worms  suddenly 
disappeared  ;  and  where  they  terminated  their  earthly 
career  is  unknown,  for  not  the  carcass  of  a  worm  was 
seen.  In  just  eleven  years  afterward,  in  1781,  the 
same  kind  of  worm  appeared  again,  and  the  fears  of 
the  people  were  much  excited ;  but  they  were  com- 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  107 

paratively  few  in  number,  and  no  one  of  the  kind  has 
ever  been  seen  since. 

This  visitation,  which  destroyed  the  principal  grains 
of  that  year,  was  felt  severely  by  all  the  new  settle- 
ments ;  for  it  not  only  cut  off  their  bread-stuffs,  but 
it  deprived  them  of  the  means  of  making  their  pork 
to  a  great  degree,  and  reduced  the  quantity  of  fodder 
for  their  cattle.  The  settlements  at  Haverhill  and 
Newbury  did  not  feel  this  calamity  quite  so  much  as 
those  infant  settlements  in  the  towns  north  and  south 
of  them.  They  had  been  longer  in  their  settlements, 
had  some  old  stock  of  provisions  on  hand,  and  had 
more  means  to  procure  supplies  from  Charlestown,  or 
by  the  way  of  Charlestown.  Jonathan  Tyler,  of 
Piermont,  related  to  me,  that  the  settlements  in  that 
town  were  left  without  the  means  of  subsistence  from 
their  own  farms.  His  father  drew  hay  on  a  hand 
sled  upon  the  ice,  from  the  great  Ox  Bow  in  Newbury, 
to  support  his  cow  the  following  winter.  And  had  it 
not  been  for  two  sources  opened  for  their  support, 
they  must  have  deserted  the  town.  One  was  the  ex- 
traordinary crop  of  pumpkins  in  Haverhill  and  New- 
bury. The  corn  being  cut  off,  and  the  pumpkins  re- 
maining untouched  by  the  Northern  Army,  they  grew 
astonishingly,  and  seemed  to  cover  the  whole  ground 
where  the  corn  had  stood,  and  the  yield  was  great. 


108  HISTOKICAL    SKETCHES 

The  people  of  Haverhill  and  Newbury  gave  the  set- 
tlers in  Piermont  the  privilege  of  carrying  away, 
gratis,  as  many  pumpkins  as  they  would.  They  went 
up,  made  a  kind  of  raft  and  transported  them  by 
water  to  Piermont.  Their  raft  was  a  novelty  in  its 
kind,  and  will  show  us  how  truly  "  necessity  is  the 
mother  of  invention."  They  cut  them  two  straight 
trees  from  forty  to  fifty  feet  in  length,  and  from  fif- 
teen to  eighteen  inches  in  diameter  ;  and  enough  of 
these  were  generally  found,  already  felled  and  dry,  to 
answer  their  purpose.  They  bored  holes  near  the 
ends  of  these  trees,  and  introduced  slats  to  hold  them 
together  at  each  end,  in  the  manner  that  the  long 
body  of  a  hay-cart  is  made,  only  at  twice  or  thrice 
the  distance  from  each  other  that  the  sides  of  a  hay- 
cart  are  placed.  These  two  sides  were  first  placed  in 
the  water,  and  then  joined  together.  The  pumpkins 
were  then  brought  from  the  fields,  which  were  con- 
tiguous to  the  river,  and  placed  in  the  water,  in  this 
oblong  square,  until  it  was  filled  ;  the  pumpkins,  be- 
ing buoyant,  would  not  sink,  and  could  not  escape 
from  their  pen.  Two  men  in  a  skiff  would  then 
weigh  anchor,  and  tow  the  raft  of  tons'  weight  to 
Piermont  shores,  where  the  freight  was  landed,  and 
conveyed  to  the  habitations  of  men  ! 

Another  source  of  support  was  opened  to  them  in 


OF    TUB   COOS  COUNTRY.  109 

the  immense  number  of  piguuns  which  Providence 
sent  them  immediately  upon  the  disappearance  of  the 
Northern  Army.  Nothing  could  equal  their  num- 
ber, unless  it  was  the  worms  which  had  preceded 
them.  The  Tylers  of  Picrmont,  Daniel,  David,  and 
Jonathan,  commenced  taking  pigeons  on  the  meadow, 
west  of  Haverhill  Corner,  and  in  the  space  of  ten 
days,  they  had  taken  more  than  four  hundred  dozen  ! 
They  carried  them  to  Piermont,  and  made  what  is 
defined,  in  the  Yankee  vocabulary,  "a  bee,"  for 
picking  pigeons ;  and  two  or  three  times  a  week  the 
people  of  Haverhill  were  invited  down  to  Mr.  Tyler's 
to  pick  pigeons.  Those  who  went  had  the  meat  of 
all  they  picked,  and  the  Tylers  had  the  feathers  ; 
and  they  made,  says  Jonathan  Tyler,  "four  very  de- 
cent beds  of  those  feathers."  The  bodies  of  those 
pigeons,  when  dressed,  dried,  and  preserved  for  the 
winter,  were  very  palatable  and  nutritrious,  and 
proved  a  good  substitute  for  other  meats,  of  which 
the  inhabitants  had  been  despoiled  by  the  Huns  and 
Goths  of  the  north.  And  we  are  bound  to  recognize 
the  Divine  Goodness  in  this  providential  supply,  when 
the  ordinary  means  of  subsistence  were  cut  off.  It 
generally  characterizes  the  Divine  Government,  when 
He  has  tried  his  people. 
I  have  already  stated  that  the  first  settlers  at  Coos, 


110  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

a  number  of  them,  at  least,  pitched  their  tents  upon 
the  meadows,  with  a  view  of  making  their  permanent 
residence  there,  but  were  driven  off  by  a  flood  in  1771. 
Mr.  Wallace,  of  Thetford,  has  furnished  me  with 
some  particulars  relative  to  that  freshet.  He  says, 
this  was  a  destructive  flood  to  many  of  the  settlers. 
Some  of  their  fields  were  buried  in  sand  to  the  depth 
of  two  and  three  feet,  and  they  not  only  lost  more  or 
less  of  their  crops  for  that  year,  but  their  soil  for  a 
number  of  years.  Some  of  their  habitations  were  in- 
vaded and  taken  possession  of  by  the  water.  Wallace 
went  to  the  relief  of  a  family  in  Bradford,  who  lived 
on  the  place  now  owned  by  Mr.  Hunkins.  It  was  the 
family  of  Hugh  Miller.  His  wife  was  the  sister  of 
the  far-famed  Robert  Rogers,  the  hero  of  St.  Fran- 
cois. When  Wallace  reached  this  habitation,  he 
rowed  his  canoe  into  the  house  as  far  as  the  width  of 
the  house  would  receive  it,  took  the  family  from  the 
bed  whereon  they  stood,  and  bore  them  to  a  place  of 
safety.  But  Mrs.  Miller,  the  next  day  seeing  their 
few  sheep  standing  on  a  small  eminence  on  the  mead- 
ow, surrounded  by  water,  her  husband  being  absent, 
resolved  on  rescuing  them  from  their  perilous  situa- 
tion. She  pressed  into  her  service  a  young  man  by 
the  name  of  George  Binfield,  and  they  took  a  canoe, 
and  set  sail  for  the  sheep.  They  reached  the  place, 


OP    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  Ill 

caught  the  sheep,  tied  their  legs,  placed  them  on 
board,  and  set  out  on  their  return  voyage  to  the  high 
lands ;  but  when  they  came  into  a  strong  current, 
they  were  carried  down  stream,  until  the  canoe 
struck  a  pine  stub,  and  was  capsized.  All  were  pre- 
cipitated into  the  water  of  the  depth  of  ten  feet. 
When  our  heroine  arose,  and  her  companion  in  ad- 
ventures, they  caught  hold  of  a  stub  standing  about 
five  feet  out  of  the  water,  and  maintained  their  grasp 
until  another  boat  was  obtained,  and  they  were  liber- 
ated from  their  perilous  situation  ;  but  the  wrecked 
canoe  and  sheep  were  never  heard  from  more.  From 
this  time,  the  people  sought  a  more  elevated  situation 
for  their  habitations. 

Jonathan  Tyler,  of  Piermont,  related  an  extraor- 
dinary fact  which  occurred  in  this  great  freshet.  He 
said,  a  horse  was  tied  to  a  log  in  a  stack-yard,  upon 
the  great  Ox  Bow,  in  Newbury,  and  when  the  water 
arose,  it  took  away  the  horse  and  the  log  to  which  he 
was  made  fast,  and  the  horse  was  taken  out  of  the 
river  in  Hanover  alive,  but  soon  died  upon  reaching 
the  shore.  He  would,  doubtless,  have  perished  soon 
after  breaking  from  his  moorings  in  Newbury  ;  but 
the  log  to  which  he  was  tied  kept  his  head  above 
water,  and  prolonged  his  life  many  hours.  Col. 
Howard  told  me,  that  in  this  same  freshet  some  swine 


112  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

were  taken  away  by  the  water  in  the  north  part  of 
Haverhill,  and  were  carried  down  to  the  Ox  Bow, 
where  they  made  good  their  standing  upon  the  top  of 
a  hay-stack,  where  they  remained  capering  about 
until  the  waters  subsided,  and  the  owners  procured 
their  property  again.  This  calamity  was  not  of  equal 
extent  with  that  of  the  Northern  Army ;  but  it  was 
so  intimately  connected  with  it,  it  was  severely  felt, 
and  it  seemed  as  though  God  had  a  controversy  with 
these  people. 

We  may  learn  something  of  the  facilities  for  travel- 
ling south  and  east  from  Haverhill  Corner,  so  late  as 
1771,  by  the  following  facts.  Jonathan  Tyler  came 
into  Piermont  in  the  autumn  of  1768,  and  he  says, 
"They  seldom  attempted  to  ride  on  horseback  to 
Haverhill  for  several  years  after  they  came  to  Coos, 
owing  to  the  badness  of  the  road  ;"  and  I  have  heard 
it  said  by  Judge  Ladd  and  others,  that  a  man  from 
Charlestown  came  to  Haverhill,  and  mired  his  horse 
so  deeply  on  Haverhill  Common,  near  Towle's  tavern, 
that  was,  that  he  had  to  procure  assistance  to  extri- 
cate the  animal ;  and  the  horse  was  rendered  so  lame 
as  to  be  unable  to  proceed  on  the  journey  for  some 
days. 

About  this  time,  Col.  Charles  Johnston  and  several 
others  had  been  to  Plymouth,  and  thought  they 


OF    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  113 

would  return  by  Tarleton's  Pond.  They  were  re- 
tarded by  the  roughness  of  the  travelling,  beyond 
their  expectations,  and  they  were  overtaken  by  night- 
fall. They  made  their  way  for  a  time  by  feeling  of 
the  trees  to  see  if  they  were  spotted;  but  they  at 
length  could  feel  no  spots,  and  despaired  of  finding  a 
settlement,  or  camp,  that  night ;  and  making  a  vir- 
tue of  necessity,  they  resolved  to  stand  upon  their 
posts  like  good  soldiers;  and  wait  for  the  return  of 
day.  It  was  a  long  night ;  but  day  at  length  dawned 
upon  them,  and,  to  their  surprise  and  joy,  they 
found  themselves  posted  near  the  little  brook,  east  of 
the  establishment  of  Andrew  Martin,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  rods,  perhaps,  east  of  the  colonel's  own 
habitation  !  For  this  reason,  and  because,  I  think, 
the  brook  is  yet  nameless,  I  would  call  it  Happy 
Brook,  we  and  our  children,  forever! 

In  the  autumn  of  1772,  John  McDonnell  and 
family  left  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  for  the  Coos,  and  when 
they  came  upon  Baker's  River,  the  intelligence 
reached  Haverhill  that  they  were  advancing.  Upon 
this,  Jonathan  McConnel,  brother  of  John,  went 
forth  on  horseback  to  meet  them,  and  to  render  them 
assistance.  The  next  morning  early,  Richard  Wallace 
left  Col.  Johnston's  on  horseback,  to  go  out  and  ren- 
der them  still  further  aid,  taking  in  a  freight  of  pro- 


114  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

visions.  Jonathan  McConnell  met  the  family  sixteen 
miles  from  Haverhill,  took  one  of  the  children  and 
some  baggage,  and  set  out  for  Haverhill.  Wallace 
met  Jonathan  returning  near  the  height  of  land,  and 
he  promised  to  stop  at  the  camp  near  Eastman's 
Brook,  and  wait  until  Wallace  and  the  family  should 
come  up,  and  all  spend  the  night  together.  Wallace 
proceeded  on,  and  met  the  family  near  night.  They 
were  in  a  miserable  plight.  They  were  all  on  foot, 
without  shoes  or  stockings,  and  an  old  beast,  a  mere 
apology  for  a  horse,  staggering  under  the  weight  of  a 
few  necessary  articles  for  the  family  ;  some  scolding, 
some  crying,  and  some  laughing.  It  was  soon  agreed 
that  Wallace  should  take  two  of  the  children,  one  a 
huge  girl  of  twelve  years,  and  another  of  two  years, 
(which  would  have  been  the  infant,  had  there  not 
been  another  younger,)  and  return  to  Eastman's 
Brook,  and  the  rest  of  the  family  was  to  reach  there, 
if  possible. 

But  in  carrying  this  resolve  into  effect,  Wallace 
met  with  an  unexpected  embarrassment.  It  would 
be  impossible  for  the  girl  of  twelve  to  hold  on,  in 
passing  the  sloughs  and  over  logs,  to  ride  in  the 
usual  manner  of  females.  But  as  Wallace  was  at  his 
wit's  end  to  know  how  to  arrange  matters  to  his 
mind,  the  mother  stepped  forward,  and,  by  a  single 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  115 

flash  of  her  genius,  cut  the  Gordian  knot.  "  In 
fa'th,"  said  she,  "  there  must  be  a  leg  on  each  side  o' 
the  horee."  And  so  the  girl  came  into  Haverhill. 

But  as  Wallace  ascended  the  height  of  land,  he 
became  pretty  well  convinced  that  the  family  could 
not  make  Eastman's  Brook  that  night,  and  us  there 
was  a  camp  on  the  height  of  land,  which  they  must 
pass,  he  dismounted,  took  a  loaf  of  bread,  run  a  pole 
through  it,  and  raised  it  above  the  top  of  the  camp 
outside,  for  the  double  purpose  of  keeping  it  from 
the  wolves,  and  of  exhibiting  to  the  family  ;  but,  by 
some  fatality,  they  did  not  see  it,  and  passed  on  ;  but 
as  they  did  not  reach  the  camp  at  Eastman's  Brook, 
they  laid  out  all  night,  without  food  or  covering. 

Wallace  had  a  hard  task  of  it,  likewise  ;  for  when 
he  came  to  the  camp  at  Eastman's  Brook,  where 
Jonathan  McConnel  proposed  to  stop,  and  to  have  a 
fire  for  their  comfort,  he  found  no  McConnel,  no  fire, 
and  not  anything  to  make  one  of.  McConnel  had 
concluded  to  make  Haverhill  that  night,  and  leave 
the  rest  to  shift  for  themselves.  Wallace  now  found 
himself  under  the  necessity  of  pursuing  his  journey 
under  circumstances  "somewhat  alarming,  and  very 
disagreeable,"  as  he  said  in  a  prior  adventure.  Be- 
side this  great  lump  of  animated  nature  holding  on 
to  him  in  the  rear,  he  carried  the  child  of  two  years 


116  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

before  him  ;  and  as  the  night  drew  on,  it  became 
drowsy,  and  sunk  down  into  his  arms  very  heavily. 
For  a  time,  he  kept  it  awake  by  calling  its  attention 
to  the  howling  of  the  wolves  in  the  vicinity ;  but  at 
length  nature  was  overpowered,  and  the  child  sunk 
down  into  a  profound  slumber,  and  he  bore  it  into 
the  Corner  in  this  condition.  They  arrived  at  Col. 
Charles'  house  at  twelve  at  night,  a  full  moon  favor- 
ing them.  The  colonel  was  up,  and  had  a  good  fire, 
some  expecting  them,  from  what  Jonathan  McConnel 
had  told  him.  But  Wallace  was  so  much  exhausted 
by  fatigue,  and  benumbed  by  the  cold,  that  he 
fainted  on  coming  to  the  fire.  The  family  arrived 
the  next  day,  and  in  just  six  months  from  that  time 
the  girl  whom  Wallace  brought  in,  was  married  to 
Jonathan  Tyler,  of  Piermont,  at  the  age  of  twelve 
years  and  six  months.  The  Rev.  Peter  Powers  mar- 
ried them.  This  was  the  first  marriage  in  Piermont. 
At  the  time  when  these  events,  already  stated, 
occurred,  and  for  some  years  afterwards,  it  was  not 
the  expectation  of  the  people  at  Coos  that  they 
should  ever  have  a  road  through  to  Plymouth  for 
loaded  teams,  but  their  hopes  rested  on  Charleston 
for  heavy  articles  ;  and  the  first  time  an  ox-team 
went  through,  it  was  effected  by  a  company,  who 
went  out  expressly  for  the  purpose,  with  Jonathan 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  117 

McConnel  at  their  head.  It  was  an  expedition  that 
excited  much  interest  with  the  inhabitants  at  home, 
and  the  progress  of  the  adventurers  was  inquired  for 
from  day  to  day ;  and  when  they  were  making 
Haverhill  Corner  upon  their  return,  the  men  went 
out  to  meet  and  congratulate  them  ;  and,  as  they 
came  in,  the  cattle  were  taken  possession  of  in  due 
form,  and  conducted  to  sweet-flowing  fountains  and 
well-stuffed  cribs  for  the  night.  Their  masters  were 
served  in  the  style  of  lords,  and  their  narrations  of 
the  feats  of  "  Old  Broad  "  at  the  sloughs,  the  patient 
endurance  of  "Old  Berry"  at  the  heights,  and  the 
stiff  hold-back  of  "Old  Duke"  at  the  narrows,  were 
listened  to  by  their  owners,  with  the  liveliest  demon- 
strations of  joy. 

What  feeble  impressions  do  the  children  and  grand- 
children of  those  early  adventurers  have  of  the  diffi- 
culties which  their  ancestors  surmounted  to  put  their 
descendants  into  their  present  inheritance  !  Nor  is 
the  change  greater  in  the  face  of  the  country,  and  in 
the  condition  of  the  roads,  than  it  is  in  many  other 
things.  Contemplate  the  then  state  of  schools.  Mr. 
Wallace,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  so  many  facts 
in  respect  to  the  first  settlers,  writes,  that  when  he 
came  to  Haverhill,  in  1769,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  he 
did  not  know  his  alphabet,  could  not  write  his  name, 


118  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

and  his  first  attempt  at  writing  was  upon  birch  bark, 
with  a  turkey's  quill.  He  further  thinks  that  in 
1772,  not  more  than  one  school  could  be  found  in 
every  ten  miles,  on  either  side  of  the  river,  from 
Orford  to  the  Upper  Coos.  These  were  generally 
constituted  by  a  few  neighbors  combining  and  hiring 
an  instructor  for  a  few  weeks  in  the  winter ;  their 
teachers  being  very  inadequate,  and  their  only  books 
the  Psalter  and  Primer.  Compare  these  means  with 
those  now  enjoyed  by  the  rising  generation  ;  and  let 
those  who  have  made  themselves  merry  by  reciting 
the  grammatical  errors  and  orthographical  blunders 
of  their  ancestors,  perform  a  more  splendid  part  in 
the  great  drama  of  human  life  ;  or  let  them  ingenu- 
ously confess  that  they  are  debtors  to  those  who  re- 
ceived little,  but  did  much,  and  left  an  example 
worthy  of  imitation  by  all  their  descendants ;  for  it 
is  to  be  had  in  lasting  remembrance,  that  by  these 
men,  thus  educated,  our  freedom  was  obtained,  and 
those  institutions  founded,  which  are  our  blessing 
and  our  boast,  and  are  the  admiration  of  the  world. 

Speaking  of  the  first  settlers,  Mr.  Wallace  further 
says,  "Those  who  first  settled  Haverhill  and  New- 
bury  were,  for  the  most  part,  men  of  some  property, 
and  were  able  to  furnish  themselves  with  land,  some 
stock,  and  tools,  to  hire  laborers,  and,  in  a  short  time, 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  119 

their  houses  were  well  furnished, /or  that  day.  They 
were  laborious,  prudent,  and  economical,  but  were 
very  kind  to  the  poor  and  sick.  They  were  strict  in 
their  religious  principles,  and  all  attended  religious 
worship  on  the  Sabbath,  neither  men  nor  women 
esteeming  it  a  hard  service  to  travel  on  foot,  four  or 
six  miles,  with  children  in  their  arms,  to  hear  the 
gospel." 

Another  class  of  persons,  he  mentions,  that  were 
in  more  indigent  circumstances.  They  labored  hard 
in  the  house  and  in  the  field,  and  whose  earthly  fare 
was  coarse,  and  sometimes  scanty.  Their  beds  con- 
sisted principally  of  straw,  and  it  was  no  uncommon 
thing  for  families  to  lie  on  the  floor,  and  some  on  the 
ground,  before  the  fire.  Their  bowls,  dishes  and 
plates  were  all  of  wood,  although  in  a  few  families,  a 
little  pewter  was  seen.  This  class  of  persons,  he 
relates,  more  generally  settled  in  Piermont  and  Brad- 
ford, although  there  were  families  there  in  more  eligi- 
ble circumstances.  The  style  of  living  in  all  the 
settlements  was  similar  where  they  possessed  the 
means.  Boiled  meat,  peas  or  beans,  and  potatoes, 
formed  their  repast  at  noon  ;  at  night  and  morning, 
pea  or  bean  broth,  and  sometimes  milk  porridge  ; 
"but,"  says  Mr.  Wallace,  "  we  never  thought  of  hav- 
ing meat  more  than  once  a  day,  and  I  never  drank  a 


120  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

cup  of  tea  during  the  three  years  and  a  half  that  I 
lived  at  Coos."  Many  wore  Indian  stockings  and 
moccasins  of  raw  hide,  when  tanned  leather  could 
not  be  obtained  ;  and  some  of  the  wealthier  had  In- 
dian blankets  cut  into  box  coats,  and  wore  buff  caps. 
Their  clothing,  in  general,  consisted  of  linen. 

I  will  now  leave  the  settlements  at  Coos  for  a  time, 
in  their  peaceful  and  thriving  situation,  and  proceed 
to  give  a  concise  history  of  some  of  the  settlements 
in  towns  south  of  them,  which  brought  neighbors  to 
Haverhill  and  Newbury,  and  opened  the  wilderness 
between  them  and  Charlestown.  For  seven  years 
subsequent  to  the  settlement  of  Coos,  there  was  no 
inhabitant  in  the  town  of  Piermont.  But  in  the 
spring  of  1768,  Ebenezer  White,  Levi  Root,  and  Dan- 
iel Tyler,  came  into  the  town,  and  settled  on  the 
meadows.  In  the  autumn  of  that  year,  David  Tyler, 
wife,  and  son  Jonathan  came  on  from  Lebanon,  in 
Connecticut.  This  is  that  Jonathan  Tyler,  who  mar- 
ried Sarah  McConnel,  as  already  related.  Tyler 
relates  that  wild  game  was  exceedingly  abundant  in 
Piermont  in  the  winter  of  1769.  Moose  yarded  upon 
the  meadows  that  winter.  Bears,  wolves,  and  deer 
were  ever  present,  and  some  of  them  quite  officious. 
Several  years  after  David  and  Jonathan  Tyler  came 
into  the  town,  a  bear  came  into  their  barn -yard  at 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  121 

different  times,  "while  men  slept,"  and  destroyed 
their  sheep.  This  was  sport  for  Bruin,  but  death  to 
the  Tylers.  At  length,  Jonathan  Tyler  was  aroused 
to  a  just  sense  of  the  injury  and  indignity  inflicted 
upon  them,  and  he  resolved  on  revenge.  He  procured 
three  guns,  and  charged  them  heavily  with  powder 
and  ball,  and  retained  them  as  "  minute  men,"  for 
any  emergency.  A  few  nights  after  this  array  of  de- 
fence, Tyler  heard  the  cry  of  distress  in  his  yard.  He 
sprang  from  his  bed,  threw  on  some  light  article  of 
dress,  seized  his  guns,  and  sallied  forth,  breathing 
slaughter  and  death.  As  soon  as  he  came  near  the 
yard,  he  saw  his  bearship  devouring  his  prey  beneath 
his  feet.  Without  preamble  or  apology,  the  three 
guns  were  "let  off"  in  rapid  succession,  and  every 
ball  took  effect.  One  penetrated  the  heart,  and  the 
assassin  fell  dead  upon  his  prey,  a  huge  enemy  to  the 
fleecy  fold. 

At  this  time,  Tyler  says,  they  went  to  Gen.  Morey's 
mill  at  Orford,  for  grinding,  which  mill  stood  near 
where  Capt.  Daton's  mill  now  stands.  He  had  been 
to  Charlestown  for  seed  corn ;  and  to  North  field, 
Mass.,  in  a  canoe,  for  bread-stuffs.  But  this  must 
have  been  when  the  crops  were  cut  off  at  Coos. 

At  one  period  of  this  settlement,  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  inhabitants  bore  some  one  of  the  following 


122  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

catalogue  of  names  : — Eoot,  Crook,  Cox,  Stone,  Da- 
ley, Bailey.  They  employed  Dr.  Samuel  Hale,  of 
Orford,  for  their  physician.  He  was  a  high  free-liver, 
and  a  facetious  character,  and  used  to  amuse  himself 
by  speaking  of  his  patrons  in  Piermont  in  the  follow- 
ing couplet : — 

"The  Roots,  and  Crooks,  and  Elijah  Daley, 
Coxes  and  Stones,  and  Solomon  Bailey." 

But  the  merry  doctor  had  to  bear  the  expense  of  his 
own  amusement ;  for  when  these  families  came  to 
learn  the  use  he  made  of  their  names,  they  took  it  in 
high  dudgeon,  and  would  never  afterward  employ 
him  as  their  physician. 

Jonathan  Tyler,  of  whom  I  have  spoken  repeatedly, 
served  his  country  in  the  time  of  the  revolutionary 
war,  and  when  our  troops  retreated  from  Ticonderoga, 
at  the  approach  of  Burgoyne's  army,  he  was  taken 
captive,  but  did  not  remain  long  in  captivity.  The 
manner  of  his  escape  was  on  this  wise  : — He  was  held 
as  a  prisoner  of  war  for  a  time  on  the  west  side  of 
Lake  George,  now  called  Lake  Horican.  For  a  time, 
he  and  two  or  three  others  of  his  fellow-prisoners  were 
kept  in  "durance  vile,"  and  were  watched  with  the 
utmost  vigilance  ;  but  as  they  manifested  no  uneasi- 
ness themselves  in  their  novel  circumstances,  their 
masters  began  to  relax  their  vigilance,  and  they  were 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  123 

permitted  to  go  among  the  British  troops,  and  to 
labor  with  them.  At  length,  the  British  determined 
on  building  a  block-house  on  the  east  side  of  the  lake, 
and  Jonathan  Tyler,  Daniel  Bean,  and  another  by 
the  name  of  Cowdry,  volunteered  to  go  and  help  build 
it.  After  laboring  a  daj  or  two,  their  axes  needed 
grinding,  and  they  were  permitted  to  go  to  a  spring 
of  water  just  over  a  rise  of  ground,  to  bring  water 
for  grinding,  and  for  other  uses  of  the  company.  A 
bark  had  been  laid  down  into  the  fountain,  which 
conducted  the  water  off,  and  rendered  it  very  conven- 
ient in  taking  water  at  the  lower  end  of  the  spout. 
Tyler  hung  his  pail  on  the  end  of  the  spout,  and  while 
it  was  filling,  he,  Bean,  and  Cowdry,  concluded  to 
take  French  leave,  and  did  so  ;  and  Tyler  says,  "  He 
don't  know  but. his  pail  hangs  there  yet."  But  the 
poor  fellows  had  like  to  have  perished  with  hunger. 
They  left  without  a  particle  of  food,  and  without 
arms  and  ammunition,  and  the  first  four  days  after 
their  elopement,  while  they  were  hid  in  the  woods 
west  of  the  Hudson  River,  they  had  nothing  to  satisfy 
the  cravings  of  hunger  but  leaves,  buds  and  twigs  of 
trees,  and  the  roots  which  they  dug  out  of  the  ground. 
And  between  the  Hudson  and  the  Connecticut,  they 
sustained  a  like  fast ;  but  when  they  came  to  settle- 
ments in  the  Connecticut  Valley,  they  were  the  hap- 


124  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

piest  of  mortals,  and  concluded  they  had  done  their 
part  towards  the  achievement  of  our  independence. 
David  Tyler  and  wife,  the  parents  of  Jonathan  Tyler, 
both  lived  to  a  great  age.  They  attained  to  nearly 
ninety-five  years. 

The  Congregational  church  was  constituted  in  this 
town  in  1771.  The  Rev.  John  Richards  was  settled 
as  their  pastor  in  1776,  and  labored  with  them  twenty- 
six  years,  and  took  a  dismissal  in  1802.  The  Rev. 
Jonathan  Hovey  was  settled  over  them  in  1810,  and 
continued  his  labors  five  years.  Rev.  Robert  Blake 
commenced  his  labors  among  them  in  1819,  and  con- 
tinued them,  with  some  interruptions,  until  1836. 
The  statement  in  the  Gazetteer  of  New  Hampshire, 
that  the  first  settlement  in  Piermont  was  in  1770,  is 
an  error. 

ORFORD. 

The  town  of  Orford,  which  is  ten  miles  south  of 
Haverhill,  and  seventeen  north  of  Hanover,  was  first 
settled  in  1765.  Daniel  Cross  and  wife  were  the  first 
who  came  into  the  place,  from  Lebanon,  Ct.  They 
came  in  June  of  this  year,  and  pitched  their  -tent 
near  where  the  Sawyers  afterward  settled,  upon  the 
river  road,  south  of  Orfor.d  village.  John  Mann, 
Esq.,  and  wife,  whose  maiden  name  Lydia  Porter, 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  125 

both  of  Hebron,  Conn.,  came  into  Orford  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1765.  Mann  was  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
his  wife  seventeen  years  and  six  months.  They  left 
Hebron  on  the  16th  of  October,  and  arrived  in  Orford 
on  the  24th  of  the  same  month.  They  both  mounted 
the  same  horse,  according  to  Puritan  custom,  and 
rode  to  Charlestown,  N.  H.,  nearly  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles.  Here  Mann  purchased  a  bushel  of  oats 
for  his  horse,  and  some  bread  and  cheese  for  himself 
and  wife,  and  set  forward — Mann  on  foot ;  wife,  oats, 
bread  and  cheese,  and  some  clothing,  on  horseback. 
From  Charlestown  to  Orford  there  was  no  road  but 
a  horse-track,  and  this  was  frequently  hedged  across 
by  fallen  trees  ;  and  when  they  came  to  such  an  ob- 
struction, which  could  not  be  passed  round,  Mann, 
who  was  of  a  gigantic  stature,  would  step  up,  take 
the  young  bride,  and  set  her  upon  the  ground  ;  then 
the  oats,  bread  and  cheese ;  and,  lastly,  the  old  mare 
was  made  to  leap  the  windfall ;  when  all  was  reship- 
ped,  and  the  voyage  was  resumed.  This  was  acted 
over,  time  and  again,  until  the  old  beast  became 
impatient  of  delay,  and  coming  to  a  similar  obstruc- 
tion, while  Mann  was  some  rods  .in  the  rear,  she 
pressed  forward,  and  leaped  the  trunk  of  a  large  tree, 
resisting  all  the  force  her  young  rider  could  exert ; 
and  when  Mann  came  up,  which  he  did  in  a  trice, 


126  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

there  lay  the  bride  upon  the  ground,  with  all  the  bag- 
gage resting  upon  her.  The  old  creature,  however, 
had  the  civility  not  to  desert  them  in  this  predica- 
ment, and  as  no  bones  were  broken,  and  no  joints 
dislocated,  they  soon  resumed  their  journey  ;  Mann, 
for  the  rest  of  the  way,  constituted  the  van  instead  of 
the  rear  guard. 

When  they  arrived  in  Orford,  they  very  naturally 
made  Daniel  Cross'  tent  their  first  resting  place. 
They  were  received  with  all  that  cordiality  and  hospi- 
tality which  characterize  those  who  are  separated  from 
all  friends,  and  are  enclosed  by  the  solitudes  of  a  vast 
wilderness.  Cross  had  reared  a  shelter  for  his  cow 
adjoining  his  own  tent,  and  for  that  night  the  cow 
was  ejected,  and  Cross  and  his  wife  occupied  her 
apartment,  while  Mann  and  his  wife  improved  the 
parlor.  But  they  were  doomed  to  a  sad  adventure 
that  night.  Cross  had  felled  a  large  tree,  the  butt 
end  of  which  constituted  no  inconsiderable  portion  of 
one  side  of  his  house.  Into  this  log  he  had  bored  two 
holes,  about  four  feet  apart,  and  sharpening  two  sap- 
ling poles,  he  had  driven  them  horizontally  into  the 
log,  to  form  the  two  side  pieces  of  a  bedstead.  The 
other  end  of  the  poles  were  supported  by  two  perpen- 
dicular posts,  in  the  manner  of  ordinary  bedsteads. 
Elm  bark  served  for  cord  and  sacking.  This  rigging 


OP    THE   COOS  COUNTEY.  127 

was  adequate  to  sustain  Cross  aud  his  companion,  a 
light  couple  ;  but  when  Mann  and  his  partner  came 
into  possession,  it  was  another  affair.  Mann  was  of 
gigantic  stature.  Soon  after  all  had  retired  to  rest, 
this  frail  fabric  of  a  bedstead  suddenly  gave  way  with 
a  loud  crash,  which  frightened  the  tenants  of  both 
apartments  prodigiously.  Mrs.  Mann  screamed,  and 
this  was  suddenly  responded  to  from  Cross'  apartment, 
"What  is  the  matter  ?"  But  after  mutual  explana- 
tions and  apologies,  Mann  and  his  wife  resumed  a 
recumbent  position  upon  the  floor,  and  enjoyed  a 
refreshing  sleep,  with  the  exception  of  an  occasional 
interruption  from  a  sudden  burst  of  laughter  in  the 
cow  apartment,  where  Cross  and  his  wife  lay,  reflect- 
ing upon  the  startling  scene  through  which  they  had 
passed  unscathed.  Esquire  Mann  related  this  adven- 
ture after  he  was  more  than  eighty  years  of  age,  and 
he  did  it  with  that  impassioned  emotion,  which  tend- 
ed to  impress  the  mind  of  the  hearer  as  though  it  was 
an  event  that  had  recently  transpired. 

Soon  after  Mann  came  to  Orford,  he  took  a  log- 
canoe  near  where  Cross  lived,  and  ascended  the  river 
to  the  place  where  the  Orford  bridge  now  is.  He 
went  ashore  to  reconnoitre  and  to  spy  out  the  laud. 
The  soil  supported  a  huge  growth  of  wood  and  a 
dense,  underbrush.  The  surface  was  covered  with  a 


128  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

tall,  thick,  and  white  moss,  and  had  every  appearance 
of  being  boggy.  Mann  thought  he  would  penetrate 
a  little  way  into  the  forest,  and  take  some  care  and 
not  needlessly  wet  his  feet.  He  accordingly  stepped 
with  caution,  jumped  from  one  little  mound  to  an- 
other, and  when  he  got  upon  a  windfall,  he  would 
improve  the  whole  length  of  it.  But  while  thus 
making  his  way,  he  lost  the  centre  of  gravity,  when 
on  an  old  log,  and  fell  to  the  ground.  But  instead  of 
plunging  into  a  bog,  as  he  expected,  he  came  "  plump 
on  to  hard  and  dry  soil,"  that  beautiful  bottom  land 
which  he  and  others  have  so  long  cultivated  to  great 
advantage. 

Mrs.  Mann,  after  they  were  settled  in  their  own 
tent,  went  to  the  river,  and  brought  all  the  water 
they  used  in  a  three-pint  basin,  with  the  exception  of 
washing  days. 

John  Mann,  Jun.,  Esq.,  was  the  first  English  child 
born  in  the  town,  May  21,  1766,  and  if  now  living, 
must  be  in  his  seventy-fourth  year.  The  same  au- 
tumn in  which  Mann  came  into  Orford,  Jonathan 
and  Edward  Sawyer,  Gen.  Israel  Morey,  and  a  Mr. 
Caswell,  all  from  Connecticut,  came  in  and  settled. 

The  first  church  in  Orford  was  constituted  in  1770. 
The  Rev.  Oliver  Noble,  their  first  minister,  was  or- 
dained, November  5,  1771,  and  was  dismissed,  De- 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  129 

oember  31,  1777.  Then  there  was  an  interregnum 
of  about  ten  years,  and  the  Rev.  John  Sawyer  was 
ordained  over  them,  October  22,  1787.  He  continued 
with  them  but  about  eight  years,  and  was  dismissed 
1795.  Rev.  Sylvester  Dana  was  ordained  over  them, 
May  20,  1801.  He  continued  their  pastor  twenty-one 
years — dismissed,  April  30,  1822.  Rev.  James  D. 
Farnsworth  was  ordained,  January  1,  1823.  Mr. 
Farnsworth  has  been  dismissed,  and  he  has  a  success- 
or, Mr.  Campbell ;  but  the  dates  of  those  events  I 
must  leave  to  my  successor  in  gathering  statistics. 

Mr.  Mann  relates  that  when  he  came  into  the  town, 
and  for  some  years  after,  deer  and  bear  were  very  nu- 
merous, and  some  moose  in  the  east  part  of  the  town. 
He  has  been  up  on  the  elevated  ground,  east  of  the 
river  road,  after  a  new-fallen  snow,  and  seen  deer 
tracks  almost  as  plentifully  imprinted  as  we  see  sheep 
tracks  where  the  latter  are  yarded. 

As  Mann  came  on  from  Charlestown,  he  found  in 
the  town  of  Claremont,  two  openings  by  young  men 
of  the  name  of  Dorchester.  In  Cornish  there  was 
but  one  family,  that  of  Moses  Chase.  In  Plainfield 
there  was  one  family,  Francis  Smith.  The  wife  was 
"  terribly  "  home-sick,  and  she  declared  she  "  would 
not  stay  there  in  the  woods."  In  Lebanon,  there 
were  three  families,  Charles  Hill,  son,  and  son-in- 
C* 


130  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

law,  a  Mr.  Pinnick.  In  Hanover,  there  was  one  fam- 
ily, Col.  Edmund  Freeman,  and  several  young  men, 
who  were  making  settlements.  In  Lyme,  there  were 
three  families,  all  by  the  name  of  Sloan — John,  Wil- 
liam, and  David.  This  statement  differs  materially 
from  what  we  find  in  the  Gazetteer  of  New  Hampshire 
in  respect  to  the  first  settlers  in  those  towns.  But  I 
have  long  since  lost  all  confidence  in  gazetteers,  when 
they  attempt  to  give  facts  anterior  to  recorded  facts, 
and  they  never  can  be  depended  upon,  so  long  as  no 
better  means  are  employed  than  those  which  have 
been  used  to  gain  information.  The  method  has  or- 
dinarily been  to  write  to  some  post-master,  justice  of 
the  peace,  or  some  other  man,  and  request  him  to 
furnish  them  with  the  early  settlement  of  the  town, 
both  recorded  facts  and  traditionary  tales.  But 
where  is  there  a  man,  who,  upon  such  an  application, 
will  devote  one  week  to  the  examination  of  records, 
or  to  visit  the  aged  to  gain  information  ?  Not  one, 
we  believe,  in  fifty,  if  there  is  one  in  a  hundred. 
And  in  most  cases,  it  would  require  all  of  one  month 
to  make  a  correct  report.  In  general,  there  is  not 
one  line  on  record  in  regard  to  first  settlers.  Their 
records  begin  with  the  charter,  which  might  have 
come  into  existence  years  before  the  settlement,  or 
years  afterward  ;  but  most  persons  are  ready  to  take 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  131 

it  for  granted,  that  their  town  was  settled  the  year  it 
was  chartered,  and  that  some  of  the  first  names  spec- 
ified in  the  charter  were  the  first  settlers.  But  noth- 
ing can  be  more  uncertain  than  this.  Besides,  every 
town  has  its  favorite  stories  derived  from  tradition, 
which  they  wish  to  establish  ;  and  almost  every  man 
wishes  to  bring  forward  his  ancestors  to  figure  as 
principal  characters,  which  never  were  such,  and  it 
may  be,  never  were  distinguished  for  anything,  unless 
it  were  stupidity  or  knavery.  But  this  application 
furnishes  him  with  an  opportunity  to  palm  upon  the 
public  a  bloated  account  of  his  pedigree,  and,  instead 
of  going  to  the  ancient  records,  if  there  are  any,  or 
to  the  aged,  he  sits  down  and  writes  what  is  most  sat- 
isfactory to  himself,  and  it  soon  appears  as  matter  of 
history.  I  need  not  specify  particular  instances  of 
this  fraud.  They  are  many.  Almost  every  town,  if 
they  should  make  a  thorough  investigation,  will  find 
that  they  have  been  misrepresented,  and  in  some  in- 
stances grossly  insulted.  I  invite  the  attention  of 
the  people  of  Haverhill,  especially,  to  these  remarks. 
I  would  not  diminish  the  interest  which  the  public 
may  feel  in  Farmer  and  Moore's  Gazetteer  of  New 
Hampshire.  They  have  done  well.  Every  family 
ought  to  possess  it.  It  is  worth  a  million  of  Thomp- 
son's Gazetteer  of  Vermont ;  but  they  ought  to  have 


132  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

sent  a  competent  agent  into  every  town  in  the  state  to 
collect  statistics,  before  they  had  published.  Leba- 
non is  made  the  first  town  settled  north  of  Charles- 
town,  before  Haverhill  or  Newbury,  contrary  to  the 
united  testimony  of  the  first  settlers  in  all  the  towns 
above  them.  Esquire  Mann  and  Esquire  Otis  Free- 
man agree  in  their  statement  in  respect  to  Lebanon. 
Has  Lebanon  authentic  documents  to  show  that  their 
town  was  settled  as  early  as  1760,  or  the  spring  of 
1761  ?  They  can  show  that  their  town  was  chartered 
then;  but  can  they  show  that  it  was  settled?  If  they 
can,  let  the  truth  stand.  Plainfield,  Mann  and  Free- 
man tell  us,  had  one  family  in  it  in  1765 ;  our 
Gazetteer  shows  us  two  men  there,  L.  Nash  and  J. 
Kussell,  in  1764,  and  the  next  year,  when  Mann  and 
Freeman  came  through,  1765,  it  tells  us  of  a  church 
organized,  and  a  settled  minister,  Kev.  Abraham 
Carpenter.  Has  the  town  these  documents  ?  If 
they  have,  it  is  the  first  instance  in  which  I  have 
found  the  first  settlers  deviating  from  the  truth  ;  but 
they  harmonize  with  wonderful  exactness  when  we 
compare  all  their  statements. 

I  have  nothing  further  to  speak  of  Lyme,  that  is 
prior  to  what  is  recorded  and  published.  The 
church,  according  to  the  Gazetteer,  was  constituted 
in  1772.  Rev.  William  Conant  was  settled  as  their 


OF    THE    OOO8    COUNTRY.  133 

pastor  in  1773.  Rev.  Nathaniel  Lambert,  previously 
settled  at  Newbury,  Vt.,  was  settled  in  Lyme  in  1811. 
Rev.  Baxter  Perry  was  settled,  1821.  The  Rev. 
Erdix  Tenney  is  their  present  pastor. 

The  first  family  which  came  into  Hanover  was  that 
of  Col.  Edmund  Freeman,  who  lived  in  the  east  part 
of  the  town.  He  came  in  May,  1765,  from  Mans- 
field, Conn.  He  brought  with  him  a  wife  and  two 
children,  and  his  brother,  Otis  Freeman,  then  of  the 
age  of  seventeen.  Several  other  young  men  came  in 
the  same  season.  Deacon  Jonathan  Curtis  and  son 
came  ;  but  he  did  not  move  his  family  until  1766. 
Col.  Edmund  Freeman  gave  the  name  of  Hanover  to  \ 
the  town. 

I  have  already  related  the  circumstances  of  the 
first  marriage  in  the  town.  The  first  death  which 
occurred  was  that  of  a  child  in  the  family  of  Deacon 
Benton  ;  it  died  of  consumption  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen months.  The  first  meeting-house  was  built  of 
logs,  and  stood  near  the  river,  between  Timothy 
Smith's  and  Mr.  Tisdale's.  The  proprietors  of  the 
town  first  employed  the  Rev.  Knight  Saxton,  of  Col- 
chester, Conn.,  to  preach  to  these  settlers  in  the 
summers  of  1766  and  1767.  Subsequently,  Dr.  Mc- 
Clure,  of  Boston,  was  employed  to  preach  to  the 
people ;  and  Eden  Burroughs,  D.  D.,  of  Stratford, 


134  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Conn .,  who  had  been  previously  settled  at  Killingly, 
Windham  Co.,  Conn.,  was  installed  over  this  church 
and  people  in  1772.  Dr.  Burroughs  was  dismissed 
in  1809,  and  Rev.  Josiah  Towne  was  ordained,  June, 
1814.  Mr.  Towne  has  been  dismissed,  and  another 
clergyman  has  been  settled  ;  but  I  know  not  his 
name. 

A  full  ^and  satisfactory  account  of  the  origin  of 
Dartmouth  College,  in  the  town  of  Hanover,  of  its 
progress  and  prosperity,  has  been  given  to  the  public 
through  different  channels,  and  is  so  far  above  my 
feeble  praise,  it  needs  not  to  be  further  noticed  in 
these  sketches. 

I  now  pass  on  to  the  west  side  of  the  river,  and 
speak  of  the  settlement  of  Norwich,  Vt.  I  shall  re- 
late a  plain  story,  which  I  took  from  the  lips  of  Rev. 
Asa  Burton,  D.  D.,  of  Thetford,  Vt.,  when  he  was 
at  the  age  of  72,  and  sound,  both  in  mind  and  body. 
He  relates  that  his  father,  Jacob  Burton,  of  Stoning- 
ton,  Conn.,  came  to  Norwich  first  in  the  summer  of 
1764,  and  viewed  the  country  for  the  purpose  of  lo- 
cating himself,  provided  he  was  suited  with  appear- 
ances. "At  that  time,"  he  says,  "there  was  no  in- 
habitant in  the  town."  The  next  year,  1765,  his 
father  returned  to  Norwich,  and  laid  out  a  part  of 
the  town  into  lots  ;  and  in  June,  1776,  he  came  with 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  135 

Asa,  his  son,  then  in  his  fourteenth  year,  and  some 
other  hands,  and  built  a  saw-null,  a  little  west  of 
Norwich  Plain.  Dr.  Burton  says,  "There  were  then 
but  two  families  in  the  town  ;  one  by  the  name  of 
Messenger,  who  lived  at  the  west  end  of  the  present 
bridge  leading  from  Hanover  to  Norwich  ;  and  a  Mr. 
Hutchinson,  who  lived  near  where  the  Military  Acad- 
emy now  stands.  Hanover  Plain  was  at  this  time  a 
thick  pine  forest."  Messenger  and  Hutchineon  came 
into  Norwich  either  in  1765,  or  the  spring  of  1766. 
He  further  says,  "There  was  no  minister,  at  that 
time,  nearer  than  Newbury  and  Haverhill,  at  Coos ; 
but  in  a  few  years  Mr.  Conant  settled  at  Lyme,  Dr. 
Burroughs  at  Hanover,  Mr.  Isaiah  Potter  at  Leba- 
non, and  Mr.  Lyrnan  Potter  at  Norwich."  Where, 
now,  is  Rev.  Mr.  Carpenter  of  Plainfield,  in  1765, 
at  the  distance  of  twelve  or  fourteen  miles  from 
Norwich  ? 

But  now  for  Thompson's  Gazetteer  of  Vermont, 
published  at  Montpelier,  in  1824.  He  has  it,  that 
in  1763,  Jacob  Fenton,  Ebenezer  Smith,  and  John 
Slafter,  came  into  Norwich  from  Mansfield,  Conn.  ; 
that  at  this  time  there  were  two  men  settled  in  Han- 
over ;  that  in  July,  Smith  and  Slafter  left  Fenton  on 
Wednesday,  for  the  purpose  of  hoeing  corn  in  Leba- 
non, and  that  on  their  return  on  Saturday,  at  even- 


136  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

ing,  they  found  Fenton  dead  in  their  camp.  It 
appeared  afterwards,  that  a  Mr.  Freeman,  of  Han- 
over, happened  over  at  Norwich,  and  found  Fenton 
sick,  tarried  with  him  until  he  died,  and  then  went 
to  Lebanon  to  procure  help  to  bury  him,  and  he  was 
buried,  July  15,  1765 ;  that  there  were  four  families 
moved  into  Norwich  in  1764,  and  from  that  time  the 
settlement  advanced  rapidly.  Now,  for  the  correct- 
ness of  this  statement.  He  says,  that  in  1763,  there 
were  two  men  in  Hanover,  and  one  of  them,  at  least, 
was  a  -Mr.  Freeman.  But  the  very  Mr.  Freeman  here 
alluded  to,  which  was  Col.  Otis  Freeman,  gave  me 
the  particulars  of  his  finding  Fenton  sick  in  his 
tent — he  had  had  a  fit ;  and  that  it  was  the  same 
year  he  and  his  brother  came  into  Hanover,  viz., 
1785.  Thompson  further  states,  that  Fenton  was 
taken  sick,  and  died  in  July,  1763,  and  was  buried 
July  15,  1765.  According  to  this,  there  were  but 
three  years  which  intervened  between  his  death  and 
burial !  But  this  might  be  owing  to  his  sudden 
death,  and  the  extreme  warmth  of  the  season. 
Again,  four  families  moved  into  Norwich  in  1764, 
and  from  this  period  the  settlement  advanced  with 
considerable  rapidity.  But  in  1765,  when  they  con- 
cluded to  bury  Fenton,  they  had  to  depend  on  Free- 
man, of  Hanover,  to  go  after  Smith  and  Slafter  to 


OF    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  137 

Lebanon,  to  procure  help  for  the  burial,  and  Fen  ton 
is  left  "alone"  in  the  town  !  Now,  let  us  take  this 
which  way  we  will,  it  is  nothing  but  jargon  ;  and  it 
shows  conclusively  that  there  was  not  one  moment 
given  to  the  examination  of  dates  by  the  compiler  of 
this  work,  but  whatever  was  sent  to  him  in  the  form 
of  a  statistic,  was  received  as  authentic. 

I  notice  these  egregious  blunders  to  confirm  what  I 
have  already  said,  that  gazetteers  cannot  be  relied 
upon  for  statements  which  are  not  supported  by 
written  documents.  And  I  have  another  object  in 
view,  which  is,  to  show  those  who  would  be  compilers 
of  gazetteers,  that  they  have  something  to  do  besides 
calling  for  crude  papers,  and  publishing  them.  No 
man  ought  to  think  of  publishing  another  gazetteer, 
either  of  New  Hampshire  or  Vermont,  in  a  less  com- 
pass than  nine  hundred  pages  of  large  octavo,  first 
expending  three  thousand  dollars  in  collecting  and 
arranging  materials,  and  then  giving  it  to  the  public 
at  three  dollars  per  copy. 

There  is  but  one  apparent  discrepancy  between 
Dr.  Burton's  statement,  and  Col.  Otis  Freeman's. 
I  say  apparent,  because  it  can  be  easily  reconciled. 
Dr.  Burton  says  there  were  but  two  families  in  the 
town  when  he  came  in  1766  ;  whilst  Freeman  says, 
Smith  and  Slafter  were  there  in  1765,  and  the  fami- 


138  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

lies  mentioned  by  Burton  bore  the  name,  Messenger 
and  Hutchinson.  But  suppose  Smith  and  Slafter 
were  there  in  1766,  Burton  was  not  speaking  of 
single  men,  but  of  men  with  families.  I  find  the 
first  settlers  made  this  distinction  in  all  their  state- 
ments. Again,  nothing  was  more  common  than  for 
young  men  to  come  in,  and  labor  one  season,  and 
then  retire,  and  we  never  hear  of  them  again  :  they 
have  sold  out  to  another ;  or  they  were  in  the  service 
of  another  man.  Smith  and  Slafter  might  have 
been  in  Norwich  in  1765,  and  not  in  1776,  but  there 
again  in  1767.  But  we  must  keep  in  mind  that  Mr. 
Jacob  Burton,  father  of  Asa,  said  there  was  no  one 
in  the  town  in  1764. 

I  again  take  up  the  thread  of  history.  Asa  Bur- 
ton continued  to  labor  for  his  father  until  he  was 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  entered 
upon  his  studies  preparatory  for  college,  under  the 
tuition  of  Mr.  John  Smith,  subsequently  the  pro- 
fessor of  the  learned  languages  in  Dartmouth  College, 
and  he  entered  college  in  a  little  more  than  one  year 
from  the  commencement  of  his  studies. 

There  was  one  adventure  of  young  Burton,  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  years,  which  deserves  a  place  in  these 
sketches,  and  which  cannot  fail  to  call  the  attention 
of  the  people  of  Norwich  to  times  gone  by.  A  large 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  139 

female  bear  had  followed  a  cow  belonging  to  Jacob 
Burton,  until  they  both  came  near  the  house  ;  when 
the  bear  was  discovered  by  one  of  the  sons  of  Jacob 
Burton,  and  was  driven  off  from  the  cow  on  to  a 
ledge  of  rocks,  north  of  Norwich  Plain,  and  east  of 
the  road  which  runs  north  and  south.  But  the 
young  man  was  not  content  with  releasing  the  cow 
from  danger,  but  he  determined  to  worry  the  bear ; 
and  as  he  saw  she  was  clambering  up  the  rocks  to 
pass  over  the  ledge,  he  ran  round,  and  gained  the  top 
of  the  ledge  first ;  and  here  he  hallooed  Asa,  who 
was  chopping  on  the  plain  south  of  them.  As  soon 
as  Asa  heard  the  call,  he  ran  at  the  top  of  his  speed 
with  his  axe  to  the  scene  of  action.  By  this  time, 
the  bear  had  ascended  to  the  verge  of  the  rocks, 
where  Asa's  brother  stood,  and  she  seemed  inclined 
to  contest  for  a  prior  claim  she  had  to  a  passage  that 
way.  Asa  saw  the  predicament  of  his  brother,  and 
fearing  he  should  lose  his  game,  if  the  bear  made 
good  her  standing  on  the  top  of  the  precipice,  he 
pressed  up  the  rocks  in  the  rear  of  the  bear  with  all 
the  haste  he  could  possibly  make.  This  inspired  his 
brother  aloft  with  fresh  resolution  to  keep  the  bear 
from  gaining  the  top,  and  with  kicks  and  thrusts  he 
succeeded  in  keeping  her  below  the  precipice.  And 
so  sharp  was  this  contest,  that  the  bear  did  not  up- 


140  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

pear  to  notice  the  approach  of  her  assailant  in  the 
rear,  until  Asa  drew  upon  her  with  the  head  of  his 
axe,  and  laid  the  blow  upon  her  rump,  which 
knocked  her  down  ;  and  as  he  was  unacquainted 
with  the  hardiness  and  strength  of  the  bear,  he  sup- 
posed the  victory  was  already  achieved  ;  but  she  soon 
found  her  legs  again,  and  plied  them  with  greater 
diligence  than  ever  in  making  her  escape.  The  bear 
now  relinquished  her  hope  of  ascending  the  precipice, 
and  commenced  descending  the  hill  in  an  oblique 
direction,  with  Asa  pressing  hard  upon  her  rear. 
But  in  his  endeavors  to  surmount  some  windfalls 
over  which  the  bear  had  passed,  he  fell  backwards 
upon  the  ground  ;  at  which  moment  the  bear  turned 
back,  sprang  upon  the  log,  showed  her  terrific  teeth, 
and  appeared  in  the  very  attitude  of  leaping  upon 
him.  This  was  the  first  moment  that  taught  young 
Burton  his  danger,  and  it  brought  him  upon  his  feet 
with  new  inspiration,  and  he  resolved  that  henceforth 
he  would  neither  give  or  take  quarter.  He  made  at 
the  bear  with  redoubled  fury,  and  compelled  her  to 
retreat  down  the  hill,  and  as  she  came  near  the  base 
she  became  entangled  among  the  logs,  and  here  our 
young  hero  made  a  second  onset,  and  fetched  her  to 
the  ground  ;  then  turning  the  edge  of  the  axe,  he 
sunk  it  into  her  throat  to  the  very  bone,  and  the  vie- 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  141 

tory  was  his.  This  bear  was  one  of  the  largest  class, 
and  gave  tokens  that  she  was  then  employed  in  rear- 
ing her  young.  My  only  remark  in  the  conclusion 
is,  that  others  may  kill  bears,  and  I  will  record  their 
deeds. 

The  Rev.  Lyman  Potter  was  ordained  over  the 
church  and  congregation  in  Norwich,  in  1775,  and 
was  dismissed,  1800.  Rev.  James  Woodward  was  in- 
stalled over  this  church  and  society,  1804.  Previous 
to  1820,  a  new  church  and  society  was  formed  upon 
Norwich  Plain,  and  the  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Bailey  was 
settled  over  them  in  1820,  and  was  dismissed  in  1824. 
Rev.  James  Woodward  was  dismissed  from  the  north 
church,  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  Goddard  was  installed 
their  pastor,  1822.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Hall  has  been 
settled  over  the  church  and  society  upon  the  Plain, 
but  is  now  dismissed  from  that  charge. 

Thetford  was  first  settled,  in  1764,  by  John  Cham- 
berlain, from  Hebron,  Conn.  And  in  1765,  at  the 
time  when  Esquire  Mann  came  into  Orford,  there 
were  two  other  families,  one  by  the  name  of  Baldwin, 
and  the  other  by  the  name  of  Hosford.  Chamberlain 
was  very  industrious,  and  somewhat  parsimonious 
withal,  and  soon  rose  to  a  kind  of  independence  of 
his  neighbors,  which  he,  as  well  as  they,  seemed  to  be 
fully  conscious  of.  Chamberlain  did  not  rise,  how- 


142  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

ever,  above  the  reach  of  envy,  and  the  wags  of  that 
day  selected  him  for  their  butt,  at  which  they  aimed 
their  pointed  arrows  of  wit  and  sarcasm.  It  was  not 
long  before  Chamberlain  was  furnished  with  a  penult- 
ima  to  his  gift  name,  as  he  seemed  to  feel  that  his 
parents  had  wronged  him  in  infancy  by  deciding  that 
he  should  bear  the  undignified  appellation — John,  it 
being  only  a  monosyllable.  He  was,  therefore,  dub- 
bed Quail  John,  for  what  reason  I  have  never  learned  ; 
but  it  adhered  to  him  through  life.  And  in  proof  of 
the  fact  that  the  Muses  either  preceded  in  their  flight 
to  this  section  of  country  the  first  settlers,  or  very 
soon  followed  their  trail,  I  will  put  down  some  lines 
which  were  composed,  and  often  repeated  in  the  hear- 
ing of  him  whose  praises  they  would  celebrate : 

"  Old  Quail  John  was  the  first  that  came  on, 

As  poor  as  a  calf  in  the  spring  ; 
But  now  he  is  rich  as  Governor  Fitch, 
And  lives  like  a  lord  or  a  king." 

Fitch,  to  whom  reference  is  here  made,  was  one  of 
the  governors  of  Connecticut  about  these  days.  But 
Chamberlain  was  destined  to  higher  and  less  perisha- 
ble honors  than  the  simple  elongation  of  his  name. 
To  him  was  born  the  first  English  child  that  was  ever 
born  in  the  town  ;  his  name  was  Samuel. 

Thetford  did  not  settle  a  minister  until  the  summer 
of  1773,  when  a  man  by  the  name  of  Clement  Sum- 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  143 

Der  was  installed  their  pastor.  We  know  not  the 
placo  of  his  nativity.  He  graduated  at  Yale  College 
in  1758,  settled  in  Keene,  N.  H.,  June  11,  1761,  and 
was  dismissed,  April  30,  1772.  He  remained  in  Thet- 
ford  but  little  more  than  two  years.  He  became  a 
tory,  left  them  without  asking  for  a  dismission,  and 
went  to  Swanzey,  N.  H.,  where  he  became  a  Univer- 
salist  preacher,  and  continued  in  that  persuasion  until 
his  death.  He  was  the  source  of  much  trouble  to  the 
town  of  Thetford.  He  took  from  them  a  fine  right  of 
land  which  fell  to  him  by  settlement,  and  divided  the 
church  and  town.  Wallace  says,  "  He  was  no  more 
fit  to  preach  than  a  fox  is  to  make  a  gold  watch." 
We  do  not  learn  that  there  was  ever  any  lack  of  fel- 
lowship between  him  and  his  Universalist  brethren  at 
Swanzey. 

Wallace  settled  in  the  west  part  of  Thetford,  six 
miles  from  the  river,  where  he  lived  to  an  advanced 
period  of  life.  He  relates  a  distressing  scene  which 
was  occasioned  by  an  alarm  that  was  spread  through 
the  country  in  the  summer  of  1777.  Wallace  was  at 
Charlestown,  N.  H.,  when  an  American  scouting 
party  came  in  with  a  British  scouting  party,  as  pris- 
oners of  war,  from  Burgoyne's  army.  Upon  these 
prisoners  were  found  papers,  purporting  that  three 
detachments  of  British  soldiers  and  tories  were  to  be 


144  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

sent  out  to  the  Connecticut  valley — one  to  Newbury, 
one  to  Koyalton,  and  one  to  Charlestown,  N.  H. 
This  was  nothing  but  a  strategem  of  Burgoyne's  to 
divert  the  Americans  from  his  army,  and  the  scout 
was  sent  out  for  the  purpose  of  being  taken  with  these 
papers  on  their  hands,  and  it  succeeded  wonderfully. 
The  news  spread  through  the  country  like  electricity. 
Wallace  made  all  speed  for  Thetford,  and  found  on 
his  arrival  that  the  people  had  gained  the  intelligence 
that  they  were  to  be  invaded  by  the  enemy,  and  they 
were  pressing  in  for  the  river  from  Strafford  and  other 
settlements,  in  the  utmost  consternation.  This  was 
done  by  order  of  the  Committee  of  Safety.  Strafford 
was  literally  emptied.  There  were  a  number  of  tories 
in  that  town.  There  were  eight  brothers  in  one  fam- 
ily went  over  to  the  British  at  once,  and  they  carried 
some  others  with  them  ;  and  their  property  was  all 
taken  and  sold  for  public  use.  Those  who  remained 
true  to  their  country's  cause  expected  to  feel  the  ven- 
geance of  these  enemies ;  and  when  Wallace  came 
home,  he  met,  between  the  place  where  Thetford 
meeting-house  now  stands  and  his  habitation,  men, 
women  and  children,  who  had  forsaken  houses  and 
lands,  and  everything  which  they  could  not  conven- 
iently carry ;  some  in  carts,  some  on  sleds,  some  in 
sleighs,  in  mid-summer,  and  some  on  foot.  They  had 


OP    THE    OOO8    COUNTRY.  146 

their  hands  full  of  light  articles  of  clothing,  and 
packs  stuffed  upon  their  backs,  and  were  driving 
before  them  cattle,  horses,  sheep,  and  swine.  The 
mixed  noise  of  these  different  kinds  of  animals,  and 
the  cries  of  women  and  children,  who  expected  to  be 
overtaken  every  minute,  murdered  and  scalped  by  the 
infuriated  Indians,  tories,  and  British,  were  enough 
to  affect  the  stoutest  heart.  Wallace  was  looking  out 
for  his  wife,  whom  he  supposed  to  be  in  the  caravan  ; 
but  they  all  passed  him,  and  he  saw  nothing  of  his 
beloved  Creusa.  Several  times  he  was  confident  that 
bright  image  appeared  to  his  view  in  the  motley 
throng ;  but,  as  they  advanced,  behold  !  it  was  an- 
other, and  not  she — 

"  — —  tenuesque  recessit  in  auras. " 

Wallace  now  put  spurs  to  his  steed,  that  he  might 
the  sooner  dissolve  the  doubts  which  had  arisen  in  his 
own  breast,  allay  the  anxiety  he  felt  for  his  better  self. 
When  he  arrived  at  his  hut,  he  found  his  wife  stick- 
ing by  the  stuff.  Having  no  horse  or  oxen  to  aid  her 
in  transporting  the  goods  to  the  river,  she  had  re- 
solved to  wait  and  see  if  there  was  cause  for  all  this 
trepidation  and  flight.  She  had,  however,  com- 
menced carrying  their  household  stuff  into  the  woods, 
and  covering  it  with  bushes,  that  it  might  not  fall  in- 
to the  hands  of  the  invaders,  should  they  suddenly 


146  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

appear.  They  both  completed  the  work  which  his 
wife  had  so  heroically  commenced,  and  then  both 
mounted  their  horse,  and  rode  for  the  settlements  at 
the  river.  The  next  day,  Wallace  and  another  took 
a  team,  and  went  and  brought  in  the  goods  ;  and  as 
soon  as  they  were  disposed  of,  Wallace  enlisted  to  go 
in  pursuit  of  Burgoyne  and  his  army,  wisely  conclud- 
ing it  best  so  to  press  the  lion  in  his  den,  that  his 
whelps  should  not  feel  at  liberty  to  go  abroad  and  de- 
vastate.the  surrounding  country.  And  this  was  the 
effect  of  Burgoyne's  stratagem  generally.  It  returned 
upon  his  own  head.  After  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne 
and  his  army,  October  17,  1777,  Wallace  returned  to 
his  hut  in  December,  where  he  and  his  wife  lived 
through  the  succeeding  winter,  without  any  chimney, 
hearth,  or  floor,  except  three  or  four  loose  boards  to 
set  their  pole  bedstead  upon,  that  was  corded  with 
elm  bark. 

Mrs.  Wallace  deserves  distinct  notice  in  this  place. 
At  the  time  of  the  alarm,  Wallace  had  corn,  oats, 
and  potatoes  growing  on  his  newly-cleared  land. 
After  he  bad  gone  in  pursuit  of  Burgoyne,  and  the 
alarm  had  somewhat  subsided,  Mrs.  Wallace  travelled 
out  six  miles  to  see  to  their  crops.  She  found  the 
oats  ripe  for  harvesting,  and  many  of  them  lodged. 
She  was  all  alone,  and  no  man  could  be  procured  to 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  147 

assist  her  in  gathering  them,  for  all  that  could  be 
spared  had  gone  to  the  field  of  battle.  Nothing 
daunted  at  this,  she  took  a  scythe  and  mowed  them, 
dried  them,  raked  them  into  bunches,  bound  them, 
and  stacked  them  in  good  style.  She  then  took  an 
axe,  cut  poles,  fenced  them  about,  and  then  went 
back  to  the  river.  When  her  corn-stalks  were  ripe 
for  cutting,  she  went  out,  cut  them,  bound  them,  and 
put  them  on  the  top  of  her  stack  of  oats.  In  like 
manner  she  went  out  and  gathered  the  corn,  and  dug 
her  potatoes,  and  secured  both.  She  then  went  to 
work  at  clearing  some  ground  which  had  been  felled, 
and  was  burnt  over  the  year  before ;  and  when  her 
husband  returned  from  the  army,  she  had  cleared  and 
sown  one  acre  of  wheat ;  and  during  the  absence  of 
her  husband  she  had  travelled,  in  going  to  and  from 
the  river,  seventy-two  miles  ! 

The  following  year  they  procured  some  sheep, 
which  they  had  to  yard  in  a  pen  near  the  house  every 
night,  to  preserve  them  from  the  wolves,  which  were 
numerous.  Wallace  being  at  work  at  the  river  on  a 
certain  time,  Mrs.  Wallace  could  not  find  her  sheep 
to  yard  them  at  evening,  and  as  soon  as  it  came  on 
dark,  the  wolves  set  up  a  frightful  howling,  as  it 
seemed,  within  twenty  rods  of  the  house.  What  to 
do  for  the  safety  of  her  sheep,  she  did  not  know  ;  but 


148  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

on  examination  she  found  the  gun  was  loaded  ;  she  at 
once  sallied  forth  and  discharged  the  gun,  to  inform 
the  wolves  that  something  was  there  besides  mutton. 
At  twelve  at  night,  she  reloaded,  and  went  forth  and 
discharged  her  piece  a  second  time.  And  before  day- 
light, they  heard  from  her  the  third  time  ;  and  at 
sunrise,  she  went  out  and  found  all  her  sheep  near  the 
pen,  safe  and  sound,  and  the  wolfish  gentry  swift  on 
the  retreat. 

This  woman  became  the  mother  of  eleven  children, 
nine  of  whom  lived  to  enter  into  the  married  state, 
and  to  have  families.  In  1828,  these  parents  had  fif- 
ty grandchildren,  and  five  great-grandchildren. 

But  the  best  part  remains  to  be  told.  This  woman 
served  as  an  accoucheuse  forty-five  years,  rode  in  sev- 
en towns,  was  present  at  the  birth  of  twenty-one  pair 
of  twins,  and  one  thousand,  six  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  single  births  ;  making,  in  all,  one  thousand,  six 
hundred  and  sixty-six,  and  never  lost  a  mother  of 
whom  she  had  the  care. 

Gentlemen  and  ladies  of  1840,  sitting  in  your 
broadcloth,  silks  and  satins,  what  say  you  to  these 
things  ?  Could  not  some  things  be  done  without 
steam,  railroad,  or  piano  forte  ?  I  would  leave  you 
to  pleasant  reflections.  Fidelity  in  a  historian  is  a 
jewel. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  149 

There  is  one  adventure  of  Wallace  which  must  be 
recorded  before  we  take  leave  of  him.  It  took  place 
in  the  fall  of  1777,  a  little  time  before  he  returned  to 
Thetford  from  the  pursuit  of  Burgoyne,  as  I  have  al- 
ready stated.  I  receive  the  facts  in  this  case  from 
two  sources,  viz,  from  David  Johnson,  Esq.,  of  New- 
bury,  Vt. ,  to  whom  Wallace  and  Webster  both  related 
the  story,  and  from  the  Hon.  Simeon  Short,  Esq.,  of 
Thetford,  who  was  Wallace's  agent  in  procuring  a 
pension,  and  who  had,  in  behalf  of  Wallace,  trans- 
mitted the  following  particulars  to  the  Pension  Office 
at  -Washington. 

It  will  be  recollected  by  those  who  are  acquainted 
with  the  history  of  the  war  of  the  revolution,  that  as 
soon  as  the  battle  was  fought  at  Bennington,  and  the 
Americans  began  to  hope  that  Burgoyne's  army  would 
fall  into  their  hands,  they  set  about  retaking  the  forts 
of  Ticonderoga  and  Mount  Independence,  on  the 
shores  of  Lake  Champlain,  which  forts  Burgoyne  had 
left  in  his  rear,  supplied  with  troops  for  their  defence. 
Ticonderoga  was  taken,  and  Mount  Independence 
was  straitly  besieged  for  some  time.  There  was  a 
good  deal  of  hard  fighting,  and  it  was  confidently 
looked  for,  that  Mount  Independence  would  surren- 
der ;  but  they  did  not.  The  British  shipping  had 
full  possession  of  the  lake.  Ticonderoga  was  upon 


150  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

the  west  side  of  the  lake,  and  Mount  Independence 
on  the  east  side.  Our  troops  on  the  west  side  could 
hold  no  communication  with  those  who  had  invested 
Mount  Independence,  and  of  course  they  could  have 
no  concert  in  action.  It  was  at  this  time,  when  the 
greatest  solicitude  was  felt  by  the  two  American  com- 
manders to  know  each  others'  minds,  that  the  follow- 
ing expedient  was  adopted  by  the  commander  at  Ti- 
conderoga.  He  called  on  his  men  to  know  if  there 
were  any  two  of  them  who  would  volunteer  to  swim 
the  lake  in  the  evening,  and  carry  dispatches  to  Gen. 
Lincoln,  near  Mount  Independence.  For  a  time, 
none  offered  to  undertake  the  hazardous  enterprise  ; 
but  when  informed  how  much  was  probably  depend- 
ing upon  it,  Wallace  of  Thetford  stepped  forward, 
and  said  he  would  attempt  it  ;  and  then  followed  him 
Ephraim  Webster,  of  Newbury,  who  originated  in 
New-Chester,  N.  H.  The  documents  were  made  out 
and  about  sun-down,  an  officer  took  these  two  men  on 
to  an  eminence  which  overlooked  the  lake,  and  he 
pointed  out  to  them  the  course  they  must  take  to 
avoid  discovery  by  the  British  shipping,  and  then 
about  where  they  would  probably  find  the  American 
camp.  At  dusk  of  evening,  the  same  officer  attend- 
ed them  to  the  margin  of  the  lake,  assisted  them  to 
prepare  for  the  voyage,  and  saw  them  set  sail,  little 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  151 

expecting,  probably,  ever  to  hear  from  them  again  ; 
for  as  they  had  to  swim  up  and  down  the  lake,  in  a 
zigzag  course,  to  avoid  the  enemy,  they  must  swim 
more  than  two  miles  before  they  could  make  terra 
firma,  and  it  was  so  late  in  the  season  the  water  was 
quite  cold.  They  rolled  their  dispatches  in  their 
clothes,  and  bound  their  clothes  upon  the  back  part 
of  their  neck,  by  cords  passing  round  their  foreheads 
and  their  clothes.  As  soon  as  they  entered  the  water 
Wallace  said  to  Webster,  "  We  shall  never  reach 
shore,  it  is  so  cold  ;  "  but  this  he  said  without  any 
thought  of  relinquishing  the  enterprise.  When  about 
mid-way  of  the  lake,  the  cords  which  fastened  Wal- 
lace's clothes  to  his  neck  slipped  down  from  his  fore- 
head to  his  throat,  and  it  cut  him  so  hard  as  almost 
to  strangle  him.  He  made  several  attempts  to  re- 
place the  string  upon  his  forehead,  but  failed,  and  he 
was  on  the  point  of  giving  up  all  for  lost.  The 
thought,  however,  of  the  importance  of  his  under- 
taking seemed  to  inspire  him  with  new  life  and  vigor, 
and  he  succeeded  in  replacing  the  string,  and  passed 
on  without  saying  a  word  to  dishearten  Webster. 
They  passed  so  near  the  British  shipping  as  to  hear 
the  oft- repeated  cry,  "  All's  well  !  "  They  took  no 
care  to  contradict  that  report,  but  buffeted  the 
waves  with  stout  hearts  and  sinewy  limbs.  They 


152  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

kept  in  company  until  they  came  near  the  eas- 
tern shore  of  the  lake,  when  Webster  seemed  to  fall 
into  the  rear,  a  few  rods  at  the  north  of  Wallace  ; 
and  just  as  Wallace  struck  the  twigs  of  a  tree  which 
lay  extended  into  the  lake,  he  heard  Webster  say, 
"  Help,  Wallace,  I  am  drowning  !  "  Wallace  sprung 
to  the  shore,  caught  a  stick,  and  rushed  into  the 
water,  and  extended  it  to  Webster  in  the  act  of  sink- 
ing, and  drew  him  ashore.  Webster  could  not  stand  ; 
but  Wallace  rubbed  him  briskly,  and  got  on  his 
clothes,  and  he  soon  recovered  so  as  to  walk.  How 
aptly  the  poet's  description  of  Ulysses,  when  cast  up- 
on the  coast  of  Phaeacia,  will  apply  to  Webster,  as 
drawn  ashore  by  Wallace,  the  reader  will  judge : 

"  From  mouth  and  nose  the  briny  torrent  ran, 
And  lost  in  lassitude,  lay  all  the  man  ; 
Deprived  of  voice,  of  motion,  and  of  breath, 
The  soul  scarce  waking  in  the  arms  of  death." 

Webster  was  so  full  of  expressions  of  gratitude  to 
Wallace  for  the  preservation  of  his  life,  that  Wallace 
had  to  caution  him  not  to  speak  so  loud,  for  the  ene- 
my would  hear  them. 

But  new  difficulties  now  presented  themselves.  It 
was  now  dark,  and  they  were  in  a  strange  place.  The 
enemy  was  near,  and  had  their  sentinels  on  shore  as 
well  as  the  Americans.  And,  what  was  worst  of  all, 
they  knew  not  the  countersign  of  the  Americans  on 


OF    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  153 

that  side  of  the  lake.  They  started,  however,  in 
quest  of  the  American  camp,  and  after  travelling 
about,  nearly  one  hour,  they  were  hailed  by  a  British 
sentinel,  and  did  but  just  make  their  escape.  They 
then  took  a  different  direction,  and  Wallace  gave  both 
despatches  into  Webster's  hands,  and  told  him  to 
keep  in  the  rear,  and  he  would  go  forward,  and  if  he 
should  happen  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy, 
Webster  might  have  opportunity  to  escape  with  the 
despatches.  But  they  had  not  proceeded  a  great 
ways  before  Wallace  was  hailed  by  a  sentinel — "  Who 
comes  there?"  "A  friend,"  says  Wallace.  "A 
friend  to  whom?"  says  the  sentinel.  "Advance 
and  give  the  countersign."  This  was  a  fearful  mo- 
ment. Wallace  hesitated  for  an  instant,  and  then  re- 
plied by  way  of  question — "  Whose  friend  are  you  ?" 
The  sentinel  responded — "A  friend  to  America!" 
"  So  am  I,"  said  Wallace,  "  and  have  important  de- 
spatches for  your  general."  They  were  immediately 
conducted  to  the  general's  quarters,  the  despatches 
were  delivered,  and  Wallace  and  Webster  were  re- 
ceived with  every  mark  of  surprise  and  gratitude,  and 
every  thing  was  done  to  render  them  comfortable  and 
happy.  But  Wallace  never  enjoyed  the  degree  of 
health  afterwards  that  he  did  prior  to  that  chill  and 
almost  incredible  effort.  Wallace  departed  this  life, 
7* 


154  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

February  7,  1833,  aged  eighty.  Mrs.  Wallace  died, 
May,  1831,  aged  eighty-one. 

Webster's  subsequent  history  is  worthy  of  a  passing 
notice.  The  last  time  he  visited  Newbury,  he  was 
residing  among  the  Oneida  Indians,  New  York. 
They  had  adopted  him  as  their  brother,  promoted  him 
to  be  chief  in  their  tribe,  and,  to  render  the  tie  indis- 
soluble, they  had  given  him  one  of  the  black-haired 
maidens  of  the  forest.  Webster's  health  was  not  per- 
manently injured  by  his  dangerous  adventure. 

The  church  and  people  in  Thetford  remained  in  a 
divided  state  more  than  three  years  after  Sumner  left 
them,  until  Dr.  Burton  came  among  them,  in  1778, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-seven  years.  He  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  College  in  1777,  read  divinity  with  Dr. 
Eleazer  Wheelock,  president  of  the  college,  until  he 
was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  he  then  went 
and  read  with  Dr.  Hart,  of  Preston,  New  London 
Co.,  Conn.  As  soon  as  Dr.  Burton  came  into  Thet- 
ford, the  unhappy  divisions  which  had  existed  among 
them  were  all  dissipated  as  by  enchantment.  They 
were  all  united  in  him,  and  all  reconciled  to  each 
other.  They  gave  him  a  unanimous  call  to  settle 
with  them  in  the  gospel  ministry,  and  he  was  ordain- 
ed their  pastor,  January  19,  1779. 

There  were  fifty-seven  families  in  the  town  when 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  155 

Dr.  Burton  settled  among  them.  There  were  bat 
two  families  then  living  west  of  the  present  meeting- 
house, viz,  Richard  Wallace,  and  a  Mr.  Osborn,  liv- 
ing near  Mr.  Wallace.  They  had  no  meeting-house  ; 
and  in  the  summer  they  held  their  meetings  in  a  barn, 
«nd  in  a  private  dwelling  in  the  winter.  The  first 
meeting-house  was  built  of  logs,  and  stood  near  the 
place  where  Dr.  Solomon  Hcaton  used  to  live,  from 
half  to  three-fourths  of  a  mile  north-east  of  the 
present  meeting-house,  on  the  road  leading  from 
Thetford  to  East  Fairlee  and  Orford.  The  seats  in 
this  meeting-house  were  movable  forms,  or  benches, 
like  those  often  found  in  school-houses  for  children 
to  sit  upon,  and  they  were  ranged  on  each  side  of  the 
house,  the  ends  pointing  towards  one  broad  aisle  in 
the  centre. 

Dr.  Burton  related,  in  much  good  humor,  one  in- 
cident which  occurred  in  that  house,  that  was  of  a 
stirring  quality.  The  doctor  had  a  parishioner  by 
the  name  of  John  Osman,  and  he  was  an  abominable 
sleeper  in  the  house  of  God.  His  habit  in  this  was 
so  inveterate  as  to  resist  all  remonstrance.  It  so  hap- 
pened, on  a  very  warm  Sabbath  in  mid-summer,  that 
Osman  was  seated  on  the  end  of  one  of  those  benches 
next  to  the  aisle.  He  was  facing  the  aisle,  and,  in 
order  to  find  secure  repose,  he  placed  his  elbows  upon 


156  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

his  knees,  folded  his  arms,  and  leaned  forward  ;  and 
in  this  position  he  fell  into  a  profound  slumber.  The 
doctor  saw  him  paying  his  devotions  to  Somnus,  by 
now  and  then  a  significant  nod  and  a  reel  of  the 
body,  but  said  nothing  to  disturb  his  repose.  At 
length,  Osman  lost  his  balance,  and  pitched  his 
whole  length  on  to  the  floor,  where  he  lay  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  aisle,  sprawled  out  like  a  spider  !  The 
shock  with  the  audience  was  electrical.  Many  sprang 
upon  their  feet,  and  some  females  shrieked  out ;  but 
when  they  saw  Osman  gathering  up  his  limbs  in  the 
most  deliberate  manner,  rubbing  his  eyes,  and 
scratching  his  head,  the  transition  from  surprise  to 
risibility  was  so  sudden  and  powerful,  that  the  im- 
pulse was  irrepressible,  and  for  a  few  moments  the 
speaker  himself  labored  to  maintain  the  dignity  and 
gravity  of  his  station.  But  it  proved  a  specific  in 
Osman's  case,  for  he  was  never  known  to  sleep  in 
meeting  after  that  event.  It  might  be  well,  perhaps, 
for  some  of  our  modern  sleepers  at  the  house  of  God, 
if  they  were  to  descend  as  low  in  the  Valley  of  Hu- 
miliation as  Osman  did,  provided  their  resurrection 
should  be  as  triumphant. 

At  the  settlement  of  the  town  of  Thetford,  and 
for  a  number  of  years  subsequently  to  that  period, 
bears,  deer,  and  sables  were  numerous  ;  but  we  hear 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  157 

of  no  moose.  Joel  Strong,  of  Hebron,  Conn.,  came 
into  the  town  on  the  7th  of  May,  1768,  and  found 
twelve  families  in  the  town.  He  first  settled  on  the 
bottom  lands  of  the  Ompompanoosuc,  and  as  soon  as 
he  began  to  raise  corn,  he  was  exceedingly  annoyed 
by  bears  in  his  field,  devouring  his  unripe  corn.  For 
a  time  he  bore  these  injuries  with  all  the  meekness 
which  necessity  laid  upon  him  ;  but  seeing  increasing 
waste  and  destruction,  he  arose  and  shook  himself, 
and  resolved  he  would  seek  reprisal.  And  now  the 
waxing  moon  smiled  on  his  enterprise.  He  loaded 
his  gun  with  two  balls,  took  his  powder-horn  and 
bullet-pouch,  and  sallied  forth  to  reconnoitre  the  po- 
sition of  his  enemies.  He  had  not  proceeded  far  be- 
fore he  heard  the  ears  of  corn  snap  from  their  parent 
stalks,  as  though  there  were  a  husking  with  the  Bruin 
gentry.  Strong  advanced  slowly  and  cautiously  until 
he  secured  a  good  shot,  and  then  he  "  let  off,"  and 
brought  one  huge  fellow  to  the  ground.  This  was 
a  signal  for  others  to  retreat,  and  without  looking  to 
him  whom  he  had  disposed  of,  he  pursued  the  flying 
foe  as  fast  as  his  legs  would  carry  him  ;  and  two 
others  ascended  a  large  tree  which  stood  near  the  bor- 
der of  the  field.  It  was  not  sufficiently  light  for  him 
to  distinguish  his  game  in  the  boughs,  and  he  struck 
him  up  a  fire  at  the  foot  of  the  tree,  and  there  waited 


158  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

for  the  return  of  day.  The  returning  sun  showed 
him  two  sleek  and  lusty  fellows,  sitting  in  appropriate 
angles  of  the  tree,  formed  by  the  union  of  large 
branches  with  the  trunk.  Strong  now  took  deliber- 
ate aim  at  the  heart,  and  down  came  his  bearship 
from  a  goodly  height,  which  made  the  ground  trem- 
ble again.  With  all  expedition  he  charged  his  gun 
the  third  time,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  remaining 
bear  joined  his  comrade  upon  the  ground,  and  as  they 
had  been  lovely  in  the  eyes  of  each  other  in  life,  so 
they  were  not  divided  in  their  death.  Strong  was 
now  at  liberty  to  visit  the  one  that  was  slain  the  night 
before,  and  he  found  them  all  bears  of  the  first-class, 
which  remunerated  him  for  all  previous  losses,  and 
their  death  secured  his  field  from  further  depreda- 
tions. 

I  have  said  Dr.  Burton  was  ordained,  January  19, 
1779.  The  ministers  called  to  ordain  him  were  the 
following  : — Rev.  Messrs.  Powers  of  Newbury,  Conant 
of  Lime,  Burroughs  of  Hanover,  Potter  of  Lebanon, 
and  Potter  of  Norwich.  The  last-named  gentlemen 
preached  the  sermon.  But  those  who  imposed  hands, 
and  he  who  received  hands,  have  alike  gone  down  to 
the  dust.  A  new  order  of  things  has  arisen  ;  and 
how  forcibly  are  we  impressed  with  the  words  of  the 
apostle,  For  what  is  your  life  ?  It  is  even  a  vapor, 


OP    THE   COOS  COUNTRY.  159 

that  appeareth  for  a  little  time,  and  then  vanisheth 
away. 

But  very  few  clergymen  labored  longer  in  their  pro- 
fession than  Dr.  Burton  did  ;  very  few  have  been 
more  successful  in  bringing  sinners  to  salvation  ;  and 
there  are  very  few  whose  influence  has  been  more  ex- 
tensively realized  than  his.  He  prepared  more  than 
a  hundred  young  men  for  the  ministry  ;  and  his 
Book  of  Essays,  published  in  1824,  is  rich  in  ideas, 
and  although  we  may  differ  from  him  in  our  meta- 
physics, yet  when  men  come  to  pay  more  regard  to 
ideas  than  to  their  dress,  and  when  they  shall  prefer 
thinking  to  light  reading,  Dr.  Burton  will  be  read 
with  profit  by  every  student  in  theology. 

Dr.  Burton  departed  this  life,  May  1,  1836,  in  the 
eighty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  and  in  the  fifty-seventh 
of  his  pastoral  relation  to  the  church  and  people  of 
Thetford.  "The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed." 

FAIRLEE. 

Of  Fairlee,  East  or  West,  I  have  little  to  say.  In 
1766,  Mr.  Baldwin,  who  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the 
families  settled  in  Thetford  in  1765,  moved  from 
Thetford  to  East  Fairlee,  and  commenced  a  settle- 
ment about  half  a  mile  south  of  the  present  meeting- 
house, near  where  they  turn  off  from  the  river  road 


160  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

to  go  to  Fairlee  or  Morey's  Pond.  Mr.  Thompson 
in  his  Gazetteer  dates  the  settlement  of  this  town  in 
1768,  and  then  he  finds  six  men  on  the  ground  to 
begin  the  settlement.  Esquire  Mann,  of  Orford, 
says,  Baldwin  was  his  first  neighbor  west  of  him,  and 
he  is  sure  he  came  into  Fairlee  the  year  after  Mann 
came  to  Orford.  They  both  came  from  Hebron, 
Conn.  Mann  knew  that  Baldwin  spent  a  year  or  so 
in  Thetford,  and  then  came  up  to  Fairlee,  and  he 
tells  us  the  very  spot  where  he  commenced.  Mann- 
could  not  mistake  in  this.  I  find  that  a  new  neigh- 
bor, in  those  days,  was  not  looked  upon  as  a  trivial 
affair,  and  the  time  of  its  occurrence  was  retained 
with  great  accuracy.  It  may  be  there  were  six  men 
in  Fairlee  in  1768  ;  but  Baldwin  had  been  there  two 
years  previous. 

BRADFOED. 

Bradford  was  first  settled  in  1765,  by  a  man  by  the 
name  of  John  Osmer.  He  settled  near  the  mouth  of 
Wait's  Eiver,  on  the  north  bank,  and  I  have  been 
told  there  were  traces  of  this  settlement  so  late  as 
1824.  This  town  was  originally  called  Moretown ; 
but  afterward  it  was  changed  to  Bradford.  This 
Osmer,  or  Hosmer,  was  a  facetious  character,  and 
would  make  himself  sport  at  the  expense  of  others. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  161 

In  1765,  soon  after  llostner  moved  into  Bradford, 
there  came  to  his  hut  a  transient  Irishman,  and  spent 
several  days,  laboring  what  he  would  for  his  board. 
It  turned  out,  however,  that  the  Irishman  was  deeply 
infected  with  a  cutaneous  eruption,  which  in  some 
modern  languages  has  been  denominated  "  the  itch." 
Osmer,  resenting  the  exposure  of  himself  and  family 
to  this  vile  disease,  by  the  intrusion  of  this  Hiber- 
nian, resolved  on  being  revenged,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  have  something  to  relate  which  would  secure 
him  mirth  at  another  time.  Osmer,  accordingly,  re- 
strained all  appearance  of  resentment,  and  gravely 
told  the  fellow  that  he  knew  a  sure  remedy  for  his 
loathsome  disease ;  but  it  was  a  secret,  and  he  did 
not  wish  to  divulge  it.  The  poor  fellow  became  very 
importunate  for  Osmer  to  prescribe  for  him,  promis- 
ing to  follow  the  prescription  to  the  letter,  and  swear- 
ing by  the  blessed  Virgin  that  he  would  never  reveal 
the  secret.  Osmer  at  length  took  the  man  out  on  to 
the  meadow,  where  grew  a  forest  of  nettles,  and  told 
him  if  he  would  strip  himself,  and  run  through  those 
weeds,  it  would  insure  him  healing.  No  sooner  said 
than  done.  Paddy  went  through  them  with  a  lion's 
heart ;  but  his  misery  for  a  time  was  excruciating. 
This,  together  with  the  mortification  of  seeing  how 
well  Osmer  enjoyed  his  suffering,  opened  his  eyes  to 


162  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

the  fact  that  he  had  been  imposed  upon,  and  he  im- 
mediately took  up  his  line  of  march,  calling  on  the 
Virgin  to  redress  his  wrongs.  But  this  was  not  the 
last  of  it  with  Osmer.  As  soon  as  Osmer's  neighbors 
were  made  acquainted  with  the  fact,  they  dubbed 
Doctor,  and  he  bore  this  adjunct  title  with  him  to 
the  grave. 

The  next  year,  viz.,  in  1766,  Samuel  Sleeper  and 
Benoni  Wright  came  into  Bradford,  and  pitched 
their  tent  a  little  north-east  of  Mr.  Hunkins'  dwel- 
ling, in  the  north  part  of  Bradford,  as  I  have  already 
stated  in  my  history  of  Newbury.  In  1771,  Andrew 
B.  Peters,  Esq.,  born  in  Hebron,  Conn.,  January  29, 
1764,  came  into  this  town.  He  came  with  his  father 
to  Thetford  in  1766  ;  in  1769,  he  moved  into  Pier- 
mont ;  and  in  1771,  he  came  into  Bradford,  at  which 
time  there  were  but  ten  families  in  the  town. 

Esquire  Peters  relates  that  the  first  grist-mill  in 
the  town  was  built  by  John  Peters,  in  1772,  and  that 
it  stood  on  the  south  side  of  Wait's  River,  just  above 
the  bridge  on  the  great  river  road.  The  first  saw- 
mill was  built  by  Benjamin  Baldwin,  Esq.,  in  1774, 
and  stood  on  Wait's  River,  where  Baldwin's  mills 
now  stand,  or  did  stand,  a  few  years  since.  Esquire 
Peters  relates  a  long-standing  tradition,  which  went 
to  account  for  the  name  Wait  being  given  to  the 


OF    THE    C008    COUNTRY.  163 

principal  river  of  Bradford.  It  states  that  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Wait  belonged  to  Col.  Rogers'  party, 
which  marched  to  the  St.  Francois  in  1759;  that  this 
man  and  some  others,  in  their  hasty  retreat,  came 
upon  the  northern  branch  of  Wait's  River,  and  in  a 
famishing  state,  they  followed  down  this  river  in 
quest  of  game.  Just  as  they  entered  what  is  now 
Bradford,  Wait  and  one  or  two  others  proposed  to  go 
in  advance  of  the  rest,  and  see  if  they  could  not  find 
something  to  satisfy  their  hunger.  They  had  not 
gone  but  two  or  three  miles  before  they  shot  a  deer, 
and  when  they  had  satisfied  their  appetites,  they 
hung  up  the  rest  of  the  savory  meat  upon  a  tree  for 
the  relief  of  their  suffering  companions  in  the  rear; 
and  that  they  might  know  who  killed  the  deer,  and 
for  what  purpose  the  meat  was  there  suspended,  Wait 
cut  his  name  in  the  bark  of  the  tree  on  which  the 
meat  hung.  When  the  rear  came  up,  and  found  the 
rich  supply  of  food  in  readiness  for  them,  they  ex- 
pressed their  gratitude  to  Wait  by  giving  his  name  to 
the  stream  they  were  then  upon,  and  designed  it  as  a 
remembrancer  in  all  after-time,  of  the  deliverance 
which  was  there  wrought  for  them.  There  is  noth- 
ing extravagant  or  unnatural  in  this  narration  ;  and 
if  the  town  cannot  give  a  more  satisfactory  account 
of  the  origin  of  this  name  to  their  river,  it  may 
stand  for  the  true  one. 


164  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

About  sixty  years  ago,  a  little  son  of  Absalom 
Fifield,  who  lived  in  the  easterly  part  of  Corinth, 
strayed  from  home,  and  was  lost.  As  is  usual  in 
such  cases,  there  was  a  very  great  excitement  in  the 
public  mind,  as  well  as  in  the  minds  of  the  parents, 
and  multitudes  went  in  search  of  the  child.  They 
sought  for  him  unremittingly  three  days,  and  began 
to  despair  of  the  child,  for  they  thought  he  must 
perish  with  hunger,  if  he  was  not  already  drowned, 
or  devoured  by  wild  beasts.  But  just  at  the  close  of 
the  third  day,  he  was  discovered  ou  an  island  in 
Wait's  River,  about  five  miles  from  the  Connecticut, 
and  three  miles  from  his  father's.  When  he  was  dis- 
covered, he  was  in  company  with  a  little  lamb,  and 
was  picking  tall  blackberries,  without  any  apparent 
anxiety.  The  boy  was  four  or  five  years  of  age.  He 
and  the  lamb  were  the  only  tenants  of  the  island. 
They  had  contracted  a  friendship  for  each  other,  and 
the  lamb  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  the  boy 
wherever  he  went.  Butjhow  either  of  them  ever 
got  on  to  the  island  remains  a  mystery. 

The  Rev.  Gardner  Kellogg  was  the  first  settled 
minister  in  the  town — ordained,  1795;  dismissed, 
1809.  The  Rev.  Silas  McKeen  was  his  successor  ; 
but  I  have  not  the  date  of  his  settlement  or  dismis- 
sion. I  might  here  notice  some  of  the  errors  of 


OP    THB    0008    COUNTRY.  165 

Thompson's  Gazetteer  in  respect  to  the  first  settlers  ; 
but  it  is  useless.     There  is  no  end  to  them. 

PLYMOUTH,  N.  H. 

I  shall  now  pass  into  New  Hampshire  again,  and 
state  a  few  particulars  in  regard  to  the  settlement  of 
Plymouth,  seeing  it  was  one  of  the  first,  towns  settled 
in  the  county  of  Grafton,  after  Haverhill.  This  was 
the  first  town  settled  between  Haverhill  and  Salis- 
bury Lower  Village.  I  received  the  following  par- 
ticulars from  Samuel  Dearborn,  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers, and  from  the  Rev.  Drury  Fairbanks,  who 
consulted  the  proprietors'  records,  and  the  church 
records,  for  my  assistance.  Samuel  Dearborn  origi- 
nated in  Old  Chester,  April  15th,  1745,  and  came 
into  Plymouth,  September,  1764.  The  two  first 
families  which  came  into  the  place,  were  Capt.  James 
Hobart  and  Lieut.  Zachariah  Parker.  They  came 
from  Hollis,  N.  H.,  in  June,  1764.  Hobart  married 
Hannah  Cummings,  of  Hollis,  sister  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Cnmmiugs,  of  Billerica,  Mass.  Parker  married  Bet- 
sey Brown,  of  Hollis,  niece  of  Benjamin  Farley, 
Esq.,  late  of  Hollis.  Hobart  settled  on  Col.  Ed- 
munds' place,  and  Parker  settled  where  Capt.  Moses 
George  did  live,  and  perhaps  does  at  this  time.  In 
September  of  this  same  year  (1764),  came  Capt. 


166  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Jotham  Cummings,  Col.  'David  Webster,  Lieut. 
Josiah  Brown,  Ephraim  Weston,  James  Blodgett, 
Deacon  Stephen  Webster,  and  Samuel  Dearborn,  all 
from  Hollis,  with  the  exception  of  Weston  and  Dear- 
born. At  this  time  there  was  no  bridge  across  any 
stream  between  Plymouth  and  Salisbury  Lower  Vil- 
lage, and  no  road  but  spotted  trees.  The  first  set- 
tlers from  Hollis  passed  over  the  Merrimack  into  the 
town  of  Litchfield,  and  kept  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Merrimack  until  they  came  into  the  town  of  Holder- 
ness,  and  then  crossed  the  Pemigewasset  into  Ply- 
mouth, a  little  south  of  Baker's  River.  Some  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Haverhill  and  Newbury  took  the 
same  route  from  Pembroke,  kept  on  the  north  side 
of  Baker's  Eiver,  into  Coventry,  and  then  down  the 
Oliverian. 

The  proprietors  of  the  town  of  Plymouth  voted  at 
Hollis,  April  16,  1764,  "  to  hire  Mr.  Nathan  Ward, 
of  Newtown,  Mass.,  to  preach  to  the  settlers  at 
Plymouth,  four  days  this  spring  ; "  this  meant  four 
Sabbaths.  It  appears  that  the  proprietors  expected 
that  the  settlement  would  be  made  sooner  than  it 
was  ;  but  Mr.  Ward  went  on  with  the  settlers,  and 
preached  the  time  specified,  and  dwelt  with  them  in 
their  tents.  Mr.  Ward  received  a  call  from  them, 
which  he  accepted,  and  was  ordained  at  Newbury- 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  167 

port,  in  the  meeting-house  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan 
Pearsons,  July  10,  1765.  At  this  time  there  were 
but  eight  families  in  the  town  of  Plymouth.  The 
proprietors  voted  to  give  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ward  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  ounces  of  silver  for  his  salary,  until 
there  were  one  hundred  families  in  the  town,  and 
then  his  salary  was  to  be  increased  five  ounces  annually, 
until  it  amounted  to  two  hundred  ounces,  and  at  that  it 
was  to  remain  as  his  permanent  salary,  with  thirty 
cords  of  wood.  He  drew,  also,  one  right  of  land,  as 
the  first  settled  minister,  and  they  voted  him  one 
hundred  and  twenty  dollars,  as  an  additional  settle- 
ment. But  what  was  the  amount  of  Mr.  Ward's 
salary  ?  I  find  in  Belknap's  History  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, vol.  i.  p.  151,  in  note,  that  an  ounce  of  silver 
was  estimated  at  six  shillings  and  eight  pence,  lawful 
money;  and  accordingly,  Mr.  Ward's  salary  at  the 
first  was  equal  to  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars 
and  fifty  cents ;  and-  that  at  the  last  it  amounted  to 
two  hundred  and  twenty-two  dollars,  exclusive  of  the 
wood.  This,  at  first  thought,  was  a  limited  salary 
for  a  minister.  But  upon  a  more  thorough  inspec- 
tion of  the  matter,  I  think,  we  shall  find  it  was  better 
than  most  ministers  receive  at  the  present  day.  That 
money  would  purchase  more  bread-stuffs,  taking  one 
year  with  another,  at  that  day,  than  twice,  and  per- 


168  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

haps  thrice  that  amount,  would  purchase  at  this  day. 
They  had  little,  and  next  to  no  company.  Their 
style  of  living  was  all  different,  and  less  expensive. 
Then  he  had  a  settlement,  and  a  full  right  of  land, 
which  was  enough  to  make  two  good  farms.  And  I 
think  we  shall  all  agree  that  there  is  not  a  minister 
in  the  whole  county  of  Grafton  at  this  day,  whose 
means  of  living  from  the  people  are  as  ample  as  were 
Mr.  Ward's  on  the  day  of  his  settlement. 

Mr.  Ward  labored  in  the  ministry  in  Plymouth 
twenty -nine  years ;  was  dismissed  April  22d,  1794 ; 
died  in  June,  1804,  aged  eighty-three.  A  man  of 
God,  and  a  great  blessing  to  the  town.  Their  first 
meeting-house  was  built  of  logs,  and  stood  a  little 
west  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Ward's  late  dwelling- 
house,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  east  of  the  old  meet- 
ing-house. 

In  April,  1765,  Lydia  Webster  was  born,  daughter 
of  Stephen  and  Lydia  Webster.  She  was  the  first 
English  child  born  in  the  town.  At  this  birth,  every 
woman  was  present  in  the  town,  and  every  husband 
attended  his  wife  as  far  as  the  premises,  and  there 
remained  until  the  vote  was  declared  !  This  was  a 
great  day  in  Plymouth.  That  child  is  dead;  but  the 
mother  was  living  with  her  third  husband  in  Rum- 
ney,  the  last  I  heard  from  her.  She  was  the  wife  of 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  169 

Joseph  Dearborn.  Josiah  Hobart  was  the  first  male 
child  born  in  the  town  ;  but  he  is  dead,  also.  These 
first  settlers  went  to  Concord,  N.  H.,  for  their  meal, 
for  one  or  two  years  after  they  commenced  their 
settlement,  and  drew  it  up  on  a  hand-sled  ;  but  they 
soon  raised  an  abundance,  for  their  meadows  were 
very  fertile. 

Ephraim  Lund  built  the  first  saw  and  grist-mill 
near  where  Cochran's  mills  now  are.  Mr.  Dearborn 
says  that  in  1765,  James  Heath,  from  Canterbury, 
Daniel  Brainard,  Esq.,  and  Alexander  Craig,  made 
settlements  in  Rumney.  Soon  after,  a  Mr.  Davis 
moved  into  Wentworth,  and  Joseph  Patch  into  War- 
ren. Mr.  Dearborn  says  he  knows  that  these  were 
the  first  settlers  in  these  towns,  but  will  not  be  posi- 
tive as  to  the  year  they  made  their  entrance.  Joseph 
Hobart  was  the  first  who  settled  in  Hebron,  and  a 
Mr.  Bennet  first  settled  in  Groton.  Both  of  these 
towns  were  settled  by  people  from  Hollis.  About 
the  same  time  William  Piper  came  into  Holderness. 
It  was  certainly  as  late  as  1765.  The  same  year, 
Isaac  Fox  and  a  Mr.  Taylor  settled  in  Campton;  and 
Benjamin  Hoit  from  Old  Chester  settled  Thornton 
in  1770. 

Mr.  Dearborn  says  that  when  Plymouth  was  first 
settled,  and  for  some  years,  moose,  bears,  deer,  and 
8 


170  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

wolves  were  numerous.  We  may  recollect  that  here 
Capt.  Powers  and  his  company  "shot  a  moose,"  in 
1754.  Mr.  Dearborn  relates  one  anecdote  of  one 
Josiah  Brown,  who  was  famous  for  hunting  at  that 
early  period  of  the  settlement.  He  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  Brown.  He  went  out  with  snow- 
shoes.  Hunter  started  some  deer,  and  in  the  pro- 
gress of  the  chase  the  deer  crossed  the  river  into 
New  Hampton,  and  Brown  attempted  to  follow ;  but 
in  doing  so  where  there  was  swift  water,  he  broke 
through,  and  fell  in  up  to  his  arms.  He  labored  to 
throw  himself  on  the  ice  ;  but  the  water  had  so 
much  power  upon  his  snow-shoes  that  his  feet  were 
carried  down  stream  in  an  instant,  and  he  would 
have  to  catch  hold  of  the  edge  of  the  ice  to  keep 
himself  from  being  drawn  immediately  under.  Find- 
ing all  his  efforts  ineffectual,  and  feeling  himself 
nearly  exhausted,  he  began  to  despair  of  life  for  more 
than  a  few  minutes  longer ;  but  at  this  critical  mo- 
ment, who  should  appear  but  his  true  and  faithful 
Hunter,  who  came  directly  up  to  him  !  Brown  with 
one  hand  seized  Hunter  by  the  tail,  and  with  the 
other  he  helped  himself.  Hunter  drew  for  his  life, 
and  as  the  ice  was  rough,  so  that  he  had  good  foot- 
hold, he  drew  powerfully,  and  they  both  were  enabled 
to  overcome  the  force  of  the  water,  and  Brown  re- 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  171 

gained  his  standing  upon  the  ice,  happy  in  the  reflec- 
tion that  both  he  and  his  anticipated  game  were  still 
at  liberty  to  make  the  best  use  of  their  feet. 

Mr.  Dearborn  tells  us  an  affecting  story  of  a  lost 
child  in  this  town,  in  the  time  of  the  revolutionary 
war.  A  Mr.  James  Barnes  sent  his  little  son  of  seven 
or  eight  years  of  age,  on  an  errand  to  a  neighbor's  ; 
but  he  lost  his  way,  and  did  not  return  at  the  time  he 
was  expected.  The  father  went  in  pursuit  of  him, 
but  not  finding  him,  the  neighbors  were  called  on  to 
go  in  search  of  him  ;  and  as  the  news  spread  that  a 
child  was  lost,  the  whole  town  came  together,  and 
very  many  from  other  towns  in  the  vicinity,  and  al- 
though the  search  was  continued  eight  days,  no  trace 
of  the  child  was  ever  discovered.  It  is  very  extraor- 
dinary, that  if  this  child  perished  by  hunger,  his  re- 
mains were  never  discovered  ;  and  if  he  was  drowned, 
it  seems  that  his  body  would  have  been  ultimately 
found  afloat.  But  the  great  day  will  disclose  the 
facts  in  the  case. 

Much  has  been  said  in  Plymouth  and  vicinity  in 
respect  to  the  naming  of  Baker's  River.  It  was  called 
Baker's  River  when  the  first  settlers  came  on,  and  it 
was  called  so  in  the  journal  of  Capt.  Powers,  in  1754. 
They  have  a  tradition  in  the  town,  and  they  have  al- 
ways had  from  its  first  settlement,  which  explains  the 


172  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

how  and  the  wherefore,  in  this  case.  It  is  said  that 
while  Massachusetts  was  claiming  the  province  of 
New  Hampshire,  prior  to  the  old  French  war,  Massa- 
chusetts sent  a  Capt.  Baker,  from  Old  Newbury,  at 
the  head  of  a  company  to  ferret  out  the  Indians,  who 
had  their  encampment  somewhere  upon  the  waters  of 
the  Pemigewasset.  Baker  procured  a  friendly  Indian 
who  led  them  on  to  Plymouth.  When  Baker  and  his 
party  had  arrived  on  these  meadows,  the  friendly  In- 
dian signified  it  was  now  time  for  every  man  to  gird 
up  his  loins,  and  they  did  so,  moving  forward  with 
all  possible  circumspection.  When  they  had  reached 
the  south  bank  of  Baker's  River,  near  its  junction 
with  the  Pemigewasset,  they  discovered  the  Indians 
on  the  north  bank  of  Baker's  River,  sporting  in 
great  numbers,  secure,  as  they  supposed,  from  the 
muskets  of  all  "pale  faces."  Baker  and  his  men 
chose  their  position,  and  opened  a  tremendous  fire 
upon  the  Indians,  which  was  as  sudden  to  them  as  a 
clap  of  thunder.  Many  of  the  sons  of  the  forest  fell 
in  death  in  the  midst  of  their  sports.  But  the  living 
disappeared  in  an  instant,  and  ran  to  call  in  their 
hunters.  Baker  and  his  men  lost  no  time  in  crossing 
the  river  in  search  of  booty.  They  found  a  rich 
store  of  furs  deposited  in  holes,  dug  into  the  bank  of 
the  river  horizontally,  in  the  manner  bank-swallows 


OP    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  173 

make  their  holes.  Having  destroyed  their  wigwams, 
and  captured  their  furs,  Baker  ordered  a  retreat, 
fearing  that  they  would  soon  return  in  too  great 
force  to  be  resisted  by  his  single  company  ;  and  the 
Indians  were  fully  up  to  his  apprehensions — for  not- 
withstanding Baker  retreated  with  all  expedition,  the 
Indians  collected,  and  were  up  with  them,  when  they 
had  reached  a  poplar  plain  in  Bridgewater,  a  little 
south  of  Walter  Webster's  tavern.  A  smart  skirmish 
ensued  ;  but  the  Indians  were  repulsed  with  loss. 
Mr.  Dearbon  has  visited  that  plain,  and  seen  and  ex- 
amined a  number  of  skulls,  which  he  supposed  fell 
in  that  engagement.  One  or  two  of  them  were  per- 
forated by  a  bullet.  But  notwithstanding  the  Indians 
were  repulsed,  the  friendly  Indian  advised  Baker  and 
his  men  to  use  all  diligence  in  their  retreat,  for  he 
said  their  number  would  increase  every  hour,  and 
that  they  would  return  to  the  attack.  Accordingly, 
Baker  pressed  on  the  retreat,  with  all  possible  de- 
spatch, and  did  not  allow  his  men  to  take  refreshment 
after  the  battle.  But  when  they  came  into  New 
Chester,  having  crossed  a  stream,  his  men  were  ex- 
hausted through  abstinence,  forced  marches,  and 
hard  fighting,  and  they  resolved  they  would  go  no 
further  without  food,  saying  to  their  commander, 
"  They  might  as  well  fall  by  the  tomahawk  as  by 


174  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

famine."  The  captain  acquiesced,  and  they  prepared 
to  refresh  themselves  ;  but  here  was  a  call  for  Indian 
stratagem.  The  friendly  Indian  told  every  man  to 
build  as  many  fires  as  he  could  in  a  given  time  ;  for 
the  Indians,  if  they  pursued  them,  would  judge  of 
their  number  by  the  number  of  their  fires.  He  told 
them,  also,  that  each  man  should  make  him  four  or 
five  forks  of  crotched  sticks,  and  use  them  all  in 
roasting  a  single  piece  of  pork  ;  then  leave  an  equal 
number  of  forks  around  each  fire,  and  the  Indians 
would  infer,  if  they  came  up,  that  there  were  as  many 
of  the  English  as  there  were  forks,  and  this  might 
turn  them  back.  The  Indian's  counsel  was  followed 
to  the  letter,  and  the  company  moved  on  with  fresh 
speed.  The  Indians,  however,  came  up  while  their 
fires  were  yet  burning,  and  counting  the  fires  and 
forks,  the  warriors  whooped  a  retreat,  for  they  were 
alarmed  at  the  number  of  the  English.  Baker  and 
his  men  were  no  longer  annoyed  by  those  troublesome 
attendants,  and  he  attributed  their  preservation  to 
the  counsel  of  the  friendly  Indian.  Now,  it  is  said 
that  Baker's  River  was  so  called,  to  perpetuate  the 
brilliant  affair,  by  Baker,  at  its  mouth. 

There  was  formerly  another  token  of  the  presence 
or  influence  of  a  Mr.  Baker,  not  very  remotely  con- 
nected with  Baker's  River.  Salisbury  was  originally 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  175 

chartered  by  Massachusetts,  prior  to  the  old  French 
war,  and  it  was  called  Bakerstown.  As  this  was  the 
last  chartered  town  in  the  direction  from  Massachu- 
setts  towards  Plymouth,  where  Baker  is  said  to  have 
had  his  adventure,  it  would  not  be  very  unnatural  for 
Massachusetts  to  honor  his  memory  by  calling  this 
township  after  him. 

The  Rev.  Drury  Fairbanks  was  settled  in  Plymouth 
January  8,  1800,  and  was  dismissed,  March  18,  1818. 
Rev.  Jonathan  Ward  was  installed,  August,  1818, 
and  was  dismissed  about  the  year  1829. 

I  am  now  prepared  to  return  to  Haverhill  and  New- 
bury,  and  to  relate  some  events  which  occurred  there 
at  a  later  period  of  their  history.  And  as  I  have  a 
sad  tale  to  relate  of  the  Indians,  who  lived  at  Coos 
for  many  years  after  the  settlement  by  the  English,  I 
will  here  commence  it. 

I  have  already  stated  the  evidence  we  have,  that 
Newbury  was  an  old  Indian  encampment,  and  that  it 
was  with  great  reluctance  the  Indians  yielded  up 
their  interest  in  the  Coos.  That  was  a  fatal  step  with 
the  Indians,  when  they  connected  their  destiny  with 
that  of  the  French  ;  for  they  became  identified  with 
the  enemy.  They  were  greatly  reduced  in  number, 
and  when  the  French  were  subdued,  the  Indians  fell 


176  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

with  them,  and  they  lost  their  remaining  possessions, 
principally  in  New  England.  But  after  the  old 
French  war,  there  were  some  of  the  St.  Francois 
tribe  returned  to  the  Coos,  and  lived  until  a  more  re- 
cent date,  when  they  became  entirely  extinct. 

Among  those  who  returned,  there  were  two  fami- 
lies of  special  distinction — John  and  Joe,  or  Captain 
John,  and  Captain  Joe,  as  they  preferred  to  be  called. 
John  belonged  to  the  St.  Francois  tribe,  and  had 
been  a  chief  of  some  note  with  them.  He  was  at  the 
battle  of  Braddock's  defeat,  and  used  to  relate  how 
he  shot  a  British  officer,  after  he  had  been  knocked 
down  by  the  officer  ;  and  how  he  tried  to  shoot  young 
Washington,  but  could  not.  He  had  repeatedly  used 
the  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  upon  the  defence- 
less inhabitants  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hamp- 
shire ;  and  when  he  was  excited  by  spirit,  he  would 
relate  his  deeds  of  barbarity  with  fiendish  satisfac- 
tion. He  related  how  he  mutilated  a  woman  by  cut- 
ting off  her  breasts,  at  the  time  of  an  assault  upon 
the  inhabitants  near  Fort  Dummer,  and  he  would 
imitate  her  shrieks  and  cries  of  distress.  He  was 
present  at  Boscawen,  N.  H.,  at  the  time  the  Indians 
surprised  the  inhabitants  of  that  place.  It  must 
have  been  in  1746,  or  1754.  He  related  how  they 
took  an  old  woman,  and  as  they  found  she  could  not 


OF    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  177 

travel  as  fast  as  they  wished  to  retreat,  he  struck  her 
on  the  head  with  a  tomahawk,  and  he  said  she  made 
a  noise  like  a  calf  that  is  wounded  on  the  head.  He 
was  a  fierce  and  cruel  Indian,  and  was  the  terror  of 
the  boys  at  Coos  as  long  as  he  lived.  He  was,  how- 
ever, a  staunch  friend  to  the  Colonies  during  the  war 
of  the  revolution.  He  received  a  captain's  commis- 
sion, raised  a  part  of  a  company  of  Indians,  and 
marched  with  the  Yankees  against  Burgoyne. 

John  had  two  sons — Pi-al,  and  Pi-al-Soosup,*  both 
very  different  from  their  father  in  their  disposition, 
being  mild  and  inoffensive  in  their  deportment. 
Pi-al-Soosup  was  in  the  company  commanded  by 
Capt.  Thomas  Johnson,  near  Fort  Independence,  in 
1777,  and  as  it  was  his  first  essay  in  arms,  he  was  a 
good  deal  terrified  when  the  battle  commenced,  on 
account  of  the  tremendous  roar  of  cannon  from  the 
fort  and  a  British  ship  in  the  lake  ;  but  as  the  firing 
from  the  ship  and  fort  went  over  them,  and  did  not 
much  execution,  except  among  the  tops  of  the  trees, 
Pi-al  became  reassured,  and  turning  to  Capt.  John- 
son, said,  "  Is  this  the  way  to  fight  ?"  "  Yes,"  said 
Johnson  ;  "  fire  !  fire  !"  "I  say,"  said  he,  "  this  is 
good  fun  ;  and,  raising  his  gun,  fired. 

Captain  Joe  was  a  young  man  when  he  came  to 

*  French  sound  of  i,  like  0. 
8* 


178  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

Coos.  He  belonged  to  a  tribe  in  Nova  Scotia  ;  but 
when  Louisburg  was  taken,  his  tribe  was  scattered 
when  he  was  very  young,  and  a  remnant,  he  among 
the  rest,  made  their  way  to  the  St.  Francois  tribe, 
and  he  grew  up  with  them.  This  will  show  that 
there  was  some  connection  between  the  eastern  In- 
dians and  those  of  the  north  ;  and  it  confirms  the 
tradition  with  the  Indians  at  Coos,  that  when  their 
fathers  heard  of  Lovewell's  tight,  they  said,  "They 
must  soon  leave  Codssuck."  Undoubtedly,  Coossuck 
was  the  connecting  link  between  Canada  and  all 
south  and  east  in  New  England. 

Joe  was  a  very  different  character  from  John.  He 
was  aimiable,  and  never  sought  a  quarrel.  It  used  to 
be  his  boast,  that  he  never  "pointed  the  gun;" 
meaning,  at  his  fellow  man.  Joe's  wife  went  by  the 
name  of  Molly,  and  she  had  two  sons  by  a  former 
husband  when  they  came  to  Coos.  The  history  of 
this  affiair  is,  that  Joe  was  a  great  favorite  among  the 
fair  daughters  of  St.  Francois,  and  that  Molly  proved 
unfaithful  to  her  first  husband,  and  eloped  with  her 
two  children,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  society  of  Joe  in 
the  States.  Her  sons'  names  were  Toomalek  and 
Muxa-Wuxal.  Muxa-Wuxal  died  without  causing 
Joe  and  Molly  any  more  grief  than  they  experienced 
in  his  loss  ;  but  it  was  far  different  with  Toomalek. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  179 

He  was  literally  a  child  for  the  fire.  He  was  low  in 
etature,  wanting  two  inches  of  five  feet,  but  had 
broad  shoulders  and  haunches,  and  possessed  extra- 
ordinary muscular  powers.  His  thick,  stiff  hair  grew 
down  upon  his  forehead  within  one  inch  of  his  eyes, 
and  his  countenance  was  truly  fiendlike.  He  had  a 
murderous  disposition,  as  the  sequel  will  show.  As 
he  grew  up,  he  became  enamored  of  a  young  squaw, 
named  Lewd  ;  but  another  Indian,  named  Mitchel, 
was  his  successful  rival,  and  married  Lewd.  But 
Toomalek  determined  on  murdering  Mitchel,  and 
taking  his  wife.  He  accordingly  prepared  his  gun, 
and  watched  for  an  opportunity  to  execute  the  horrid 
deed.  It  was  not  long  before  Toomalek  discoverd 
Mitchel  and  his  wife  seated  by  a  fire  in  the  evening, 
at  the  upper  end  of  the  Ox  Bow  in  Newbury,  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill,  just  where  the  river  turns  north. 
They  were  seated  side  by  side,  happy  for  the  present, 
and  happy  in  anticipations,  to  all  human  view.  Too- 
malek took  aim,  and  discharged  his  gun  at  Mitchel ; 
but  Lewd  received  the  ball  in  her  breast,  and  expired 
that  evening.  Mitchel  was  wounded,  also,  by  the 
same  ball  which  killed  Lewd,  or  there  were  two  balls 
discharged  ;  but  he  soon  recovered  from  his  wound. 
Toomalek  was  tried  for  his  crime  by  his  Indian  peers, 
Old  John  presiding,  and  he  was  acquitted  upon  the 


180  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

ground  that  he  did  not  mean  to  kill  Lewd,  but 
Mitchel ;  and  as  he  did  not  kill  Mitchel,  he  was  no 
murderer  !  This  was  making  nice  distinctions,  and 
it  shows  that  these  untutored  beings  were  adepts  in 
the  science  of  casuistry.  Bat  Old  John  was  the  sole 
means  of  his  acquittal. 

But  Toomalek  still  cherished  a  rancorous  enmity 
towards  Mitchel,  and  his  escape  from  justice,  in  the 
first  instance,  encouraged  him  to  make  a  second  at- 
tempt upon  the  life  of  Mitchel,  who  had  taken  an- 
other wife  as  attractive  as  Lewa.  Toomalek  took  a 
bottle  of  rum  and  a  white  man,  Ebenezer  Olmsted 
by  name,  and  went  to  the  wigwam  of  Mitchel,  and 
commenced  treating  the  compamy.  Olmsted  ob- 
served that  Toomalek  drank  but  little,  whilst  Mitchel 
indulged  freely  in  his  potations.  When  Mitchel  be- 
gan to  be  excited  by  the  spirit  he  drank,  he  com- 
menced upbraiding  Toomalek  for  the  murder  of  his 
wife,  and  for  the  wound  inflicted  on  him.  After 
much  crimination  and  recrimination,  promoted  and 
aggravated  by  Toomalek  for  a  specific  purpose, 
Mitchel  drew  his  knife  upon  his  foe,  and  made  a  fee- 
ble pass  at  him.  Toomalek  then  drew  his  knife  on 
Mitchel,  and  gave  him  his  death-wound  at  once  ! 
For  this  offence,  Toomalek  had  his  trial,  and  was  ac- 
quitted, because  Mitchel  made  the  first  assault,  and 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  181 

Toomalek  argued  that  he  killed  Hitchel  in  self-de- 
fence ;  yet  all  were  satisfied  that  Toomalek  was  the 
sole  means  of  promoting  the  quarrel,  and  that  he  did 

• 

it  that  he  might  have  an  excuse  for  killing  Mitchel. 

But  Old  John,  who  delighted  in  blood,  was  still 
using  his  influence  to  preserve  the  life  of  Toomalek  ; 
and  he  did  it,  as  Providence  overruled  it,  to  bring 
upon  himself  and  family  a  terrible  calamity — nothing 
less  than  the  murder  of  his  elder  son,  Pi-al ;  and  he 
did  it  on  this  wise.  Toomalek,  Pi-al,  and  several 
others  were  over  on  Haverhill  side,  and  called  at 
Charles  Wheeler's  house,  son  of  Glazier  Wheeler,  on 
the  little  Ox  Bow,  about  eleven  o'clock  in  the  fore- 
noon. They  were  disposed  to  be  somewhat  noisy  and 
turbulent  at  that  time,  and  manifested  that  they 
had  been  drinking  spirit.  They  asked  for  some 
there,  but  obtained  none.  They  left  Wheeler's  before 
noon,  and  proceeded  eastward.  Some  time  in  the 
afternoon,  they  came  along  near  where  the  old  court- 
house stood  in  the  north  parish  in  Haverhill,  west  of 
Major  Merrill's  house,  now  Mr.  Hibbard's,  where 
they  met  a  young  squaw  from  Newbury,  who  began 
to  rally  Pi-al  on  some  past  acts  of  gallantry.  Pi-al 
returned  upon  her  measure  for  measure,  which  the 
young  lady  took  in  dudgeon.  She  could  give,  but 
not  receive  a  joke.  Perhaps  Pi-al  jested  too  near  the 


182  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

truth.  She  turned  aside,  and  held  a  brief  conversa- 
tion with  Toomalek,  in  a  low  voice,  and  then  passed 
on.  Toomalek  then  stepped  back  to  his  companions, 
and  walked  south  by  the  side  of  Pi-al ;  and  in  a  few 
moments  he  drew  his  long  knife,  and  by  a  back-hand 
stroke,  plunged  it  into  Pi-al's  throat.  It  entered  at 
the  top  of  the  sternum,  and  descended  to  the  lungs. 
Pi-al  ran  with  the  blood  spouting  from  the  wound  a 
few  rods,  and  fell  lifeless  upon  the  ground.  It  was 
supposed  that  in  this  instance  Toomalek  killed  Pi-al 
in  obedience  to  the  expressed  wish  of  the  young 
squaw  ;  but  he  never  criminated  her.  His  compan- 
ions ran  and  carried  the  news  of  the  murder  to  their 
English  neighbors,  and  Toomalek  was  taken  into 
custody,  without  resistance,  or  an  attempt  to  escape, 
and  was  carried  across  the  river  into  Newbury,  for  his 
trial  the  next  day.  When  the  news  came  to  Old 
John  that  Toomalek  had  killed  his  son  Pi-al,  he  was 
overwhelmed  with  it,  and  his  conscience  awoke  to  its 
duty.  He  was  almost  frantic  through  agony.  He 
confessed  his  sin  in  sparing  the  life  of  a  murderer  in 
the  two  previous  instances  already  stated.  He  said, 
God  had  brought  this  calamity  upon  him  for  his  sin  ; 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  spent  the  whole  night  in 
loud  lamentations  and  self-reproaches. 

The  next  day,  in  the  forenoon,  a  court  was  called 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTBT.  183 

to  try  Toomalek,  and  after  all  the  evidence  was  ob- 
tained, they  unanimously  gave  verdict  against  him, 
and  said  he  must  be  shot.  They  appointed,  however, 
a  deputation  to  wait  on  the  Rev.  Mr.  Powers,  to 
know  whether  that  decision  was  agreeable  to  the 
word  of  God.  After  hearing  the  evidence,  he  told 
them  he  believed  it  was,  and  they  immediately  set 
about  carrying  it  into  effect.  By  Indian  law,  Old 
John  must  be  the  executioner,  as  he  was  the  nearest 
by  blood  to  the  slain,  and  he  must  avenge  the  blood 
of  his  son.  The  ground  floor  of  the  old  court-house, 
standing  opposite  the  burying  ground  at  the  west, 
was  the  place  designated  for  the  execution.  Tooma- 
lek came  to  the  place  himself,  without,  guard  or  at- 
tendance, where  John  stood  in  readiness  with  his 
loaded  musket.  He  seated  himself  upon  the  floor, 
said  his  Catholic  prayers,  covered  his  eyes,  and  said, 
"Mack  bence;"  that  is,  "Kill  me  quick!"  John 
stepped  forward,  put  the  muzzle  of  the  gun  near  his 
head,  and  he  was  dead  in  an  instant !  Joe  and 
Molly  were  both  present  at  the  execution  of  her  son  ; 
and  as  soon  as  it  was  over,  Joe  took  one  arm,  and 
Molly  the  other,  and  they  dragged  the  body  from  the 
house  and  buried  it.  Molly  had  mourned  and  wept 
bitterly  for  the  death  of  Muxa-Wuxal,  which  hap- 
pened the  same  season  ;  but  she  never  shed  a  tear 


184  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

over  the  grave  of  Tomalek,  nor  was  she  ever  heard 
to  speak  his  name  afterward.  Old  John  was  after- 
ward found  dead  by  the  side  of  a  log,  at  the  foot  of 
the  hill,  near  the  present  garden  of  William.  Johnson. 
Old  Joe  was  a  staunch  whig,  although  he  had  no 
predilection  for  war  himself.  The  "red  coats"  had 
broken  up  and  dispersed  his  tribe  in  Nova  Scotia, 
and  he  never  would  forgive  them.  He  rejoiced  in 
every  success  of  the  Colonies.  He  and  Molly  paid  a 
visit  to  General  Washington,  at  his  head-quarters  on 
North  River,  and  he  was  received  with  marked  atten- 
tion. It  was  his  boast  to  the  last,  that  he  had  shook 
hands  with  Gen.  Washington,  and  he  and  Molly  were 
invited  to  sit  at  the  general's  table,  after  he  and  the 
other  officers  had  eaten .  And  so  great  was  his  anti- 
pathy to  the  king  of  England,  that  he  never  would 
enter  his  dominions  after  the  war.  Some  of  his 
friends  of  the  St.  Francois  tribe  came  down  to  New- 
bury  on  purpose  to  persuade  him  and  Molly  to  re- 
turn ;  but  Captain  Joe  would  hear  nothing  to  it. 
He  would  take  his  hunting  excursions  at  the  extreme 
north  of  Vermont,  but  not  pass  into  Canada.  He 
and  Molly  went  to  Derby  one  season  for  a  hunt,  and 
built  them  a  wigwam.  The  Indians  of  St.  Francois 
heard  of  it,  and  came  out  and  stole  Molly  when  Joe 
was  hunting,  and  carried  her  off  to  their  quarters,  in 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  185 

hopes  that  Joe  would  follow  ;  but  he  would  not. 
And  having  followed  a  moose  two  days  in  full  expec- 
tation of  taking  him,  when  he  came  to  find  that  the 
moose  had  crossed  into  Canada,  he  stopped  short, 
and  said — "Good  bye,  Mr.  Moose  !"  turned  upon  his 
heel,  and  sought  his  repose  in  the  states. 

Joe  and  Molly  have  each  a  pond  called  after  them 
in  the  town  of  Cabot.  Joe's  Pond  empties  itself  into 
the  Passumpsic  by  Joe's  Brook.  Molly's  Pond  dis- 
charges its  waters  into  Lake  Champlain  by  Onion 
River.  Joe  survived  Molly  many  years.  When  he 
became  old,  and  was  unable  to  support  himself,  the 
legislature  of  Vermont  voted  him  a  pension  of 
seventy  dollars  annually.  He  spent  his  last  years 
with  Mr.  Frye  Bailey,  of  Newbury.  He  departed 
this  life,  February  19,  1819,  aged  79  years.  Report 
made  him  much  older  than  that ;  but  it  could  not  be 
true,  if  he  was  so  young  at  the  taking  of  Louisburg 
that  he  could  not  recollect  the  name  of  his  tribe. 
At  his  funeral,  the  principal  men  of  the  town  at- 
tended. He  was  buried  in  the  south-eastern  corner 
of  the  burying  ground.  His  gun,  which  was  found 
loaded  after  his  death,  was  discharged  over  his  grave. 
His  snow-shoes  are  with  Mr.  Frye  Bailey.  With 
Capt.  Joe  fell  the  last  of  the  Indians  at  Coossuck, 
that  once  fairy  land  of  long-slumbering  generations  ! 


186  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  war  of  the  revolu- 
tion when  upon  individual  character,  fortified  houses, 
and  commanders  of  companies,  &c.  But  these  times 
require  more  distinct  consideration  in  these  annals, 
because  they  form  an  epoch  in  our  history ;  and  be- 
cause they  embrace  many  things  which  serve  to  de- 
velop causes  which  for  a  long  period  have  lain  con- 
cealed from  general  observation;  which  causes  cannot 
fail  to  interest  the  descendants  of  those  who  bore  the 
burden  and  heat  of  the  day  in  which  our  independ- 
ence was  achieved.  The  first  settlers  at  Coos  sus- 
tained, in  common  with  their  brethren,  all  the  hard- 
ships which  were  brought  on  the  Colonies  by  the  war 
of  the  revolution;  and,  owing  to  their  peculiar  circum- 
stances, they  were  called  to  additional  burdens,  almost 
too  grievous  to  be  borne;  They  were  yet  struggling 
with  the  privations  and  inconveniences  necessarily 
attendant  upon  new  settlements,  remote  from  old 
towns  and  a  ready  market.  They  were  frontier  set- 
tlements. They  were  contiguous  to  the  strongholds 
of  the  enemy,  and  were  continually  exposed  t©  their 
savage  incursions.  And  what  was  worst  of  all,  Ver- 
mont was  not  an  acknowledged  state,  although  she 
had  often  requested  to  be  received  into  the  Union. 
This  was  owing  to  conflicting  claims  to  these  Grants, 
set  up  by  the  states  of  New  York,  New  Hampshire, 


OF    THB   COOS  COUNTRY.  187 

and  Massachusetts.  No  two  of  them  could  agree 
who  should  have  them,  yet  all  could  agree  to  oppose 
in  Congress  the  admission  of  Vermont  into  the  Union 
as  an  independent  state  ;  and  so  influential  were  those 
three  states  at  that  time,  that  Congress  did  not  dare 
to  decide  contrary  to  their  wishes,  although  they 
might  see  manifest  injustice  in  their  opposition. 
The  British  were  fully  aware  of  the  excited  state  of 
feeling  in  Vermont  in  regard  to  this  subject,  and  as 
Vermont  was  rejected  by  her  sister  Colonies,  they  en- 
tertained strong  hopes  that  they  should  detach  her 
from  the  common  interest  of  the  Colonies,  and  bring 
her  to  espouse  the  cause  of  the  mother  country.  To 
this  end  the  British  made  every  possible  effort  by 
promises  and  threats.  Their  scouts  traversed  the 
whole  territory,  promising  the  most  liberal  rewards  to 
all  who  would  befriend  them,  and  threatening  ven- 
geance upon  the  lives  and  property  of  those  who 
should  adhere  to  the  interest  of  the  Colonies. 

Vermont  had  a  difficult  part  to  sustain  in  the  grand 
drama  then  being  acted.  She  stood  between  two  or 
more  fires,  and  it  required  all  her  physical  powers, 
and  all  her  finesse,  not  to  founder  in  Scylla  or  Chary- 
bdis.  The  alluring  promises  of  the  British  had  ac- 
tually brought  many  to  feel  favorably  inclined  to 
their  cause,  and  it  is  thought  that  there  were  some 


188  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

of  this  description  in  high  places.  Others  would  lis- 
ten to  these  proposals  of  the  British  for  self-preserva- 
tion ;  for  now  these  Grants  were  left  to  repel  all  in- 
vasions single  handed.  It  was  also  true  that  tories 
from  other  states  sought  a  retreat  in  the  Grants, 
where  they  were  less  liable  to  arrest,  and  where  they 
could  with  greater  facility  maintain  correspondence 
with  the  British.  And  so  it  was,  that  the  British 
came  in  possession  of  all  the  movements -of  the  Amer- 
icans, as  soon  as  any  plan  was  matured  against  the 
enemy.  But  we  ought  here  to  state  that  there  were 
many  true-hearted  Americans  in  the  Grants  ;  men 
who  were  ready  to  sacrifice  their  property  and  to  lay 
down  their  lives  in  defense  of  their  country  ;  and 
those  who  took  the  field  did  nobly,  and  by  their  he- 
roic deeds,  they  gained  the  distinctive  appellation, 
the  Green  Mountain  Boys,  a  title  which  their  de- 
scendants are  proud  to  bear  to  this  day. 

The  policy  which  the  leading  men  of  that  day 
adopted  was,  not  to  declare,  either  that  they  would 
or  would  not  be  independent  of  the  mother  country  ; 
intending  thereby  to  save  themselves  from  an  invasion 
by  the  British,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  present  mo- 
tives to  Congress  for  receiving  them  into  the  Union. 
This  was  a  difficult  part  to  perform,  owing  to  the  ar- 
dor with  which  the  British  pressed  the  subject  for  an 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  189 

immediate  decision  ;  but  it  was  maintained,  and 
Vermont  finally  secured  her  utmost  wishes. 

But  while  these  things  were  transacting,  there  were 
men,  in  almost  every  town,  who  had  rendered  them- 
selves very  obnoxious  to  the  displeasure  of  the  British 
and  tories,  and  they  were  unwearied  in  their  endeav- 
ors to  get  them  into  their  hands.  The  tories  were 
relied  upon  by  the  British  for  those  captures,  and 
they  were  by  far  the  most  dangerous  foe  that  our 
men  had  to  contend  with.  They  would  intrude 
themselves  into  the  families  of  the  whigs  under  the 
mask  of  friendship,  draw  forth  the  secrets  of  their 
breasts,  convey  them  to  the  British,  and  then  lead  on 
a  scouting  party  to  the  threshold  of  their  neighbor, 
or,  in  his  absence,  kill  his  cattle  or  set  fire  to  his 
dwelling  in  the  dead  hour  of  night.  We  can  hardly 
conceive  how  distressing  such  a  state  of  suspense  and 
watchful  anxiety  must  have  been  during  the  long 
period  of  eight  years.  But  Newbury  was  annoyed 
by  these  means  far  more  than  Haverhill,  for  those 
scouts  of  the  enemy  had  not  the  temerity  to  cross  the 
river,  well  knowing  that  a  retreat  would  be  next  to 
impossible. 

There  were  several  men  in  Newbury  who  had,  by 
their  devotion  to  their  country,  excited^the  enmity  of 
the  British  and  tories  to  a  high  degree,  and  they 


190  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

were  resolved  on  taking  them.  One  was  the  Rev. 
Peter  Powers,  who  had  preached  and  done  everything 
in  his  power  to  sustain  the  cause  of  the  Colonies,  and 
he  had  already  buried  his  oldest  son,  Peter,  in  the 
army.  But,  as  I  have  previously  stated,  Mr.  Powers 
moved  on  to  Haverhill  side  for  his  security.  Gen. 
Jacob  Bailey  was  another  of  these  men.  He  was  a 
very  prominent  man  at  that  day.  He  possessed 
great  influence  with  his  countrymen,  and  the  Indians 
looked  up  to  him  as  a  father.  He  acted  as  quarter- 
master-general to  the  troops  stationed  at  Newbury 
and  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  Indians  were  not  over- 
looked in  the  distribution  of  the  daily  rations.  He 
retained  their  friendship  during  the  war.  The  Brit- 
ish felt  it  so  important  to  secure  Gen.  Bailey,  that 
they  offered  a  heavy  reward  for  his  person,  and  many 
plans  were  concerted  for  his  capture  ;  but  they  never 
succeeded.  Col.  Thomas  Johnson  was  another  man 
whom  they  considered  as  a  notorious  rebel,  as  he  had 
distinguished  himself  at  the  taking  of  Ticonderoga 
and  the  seige  of  Mount  Independence,  in  the  autumn 
of  1777.  At  that  time,  Johnson  went  out  as  captain 
of  a  volunteer  company  from  Newbury  ;  but  he  acted, 
a  part  of  the  time,  as  aid  to  Gen.  Lincoln.  When 
the  British  surrendered  at  Ticonderoga,  one  hundred 
of  the  prisoners  were  given  in  charge  to  Col.  John- 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  191 

son,  and  ho  marched  them  back  into  the  country, 
where  they  would  not  be  exposed  to  a  recapture,  and 
where  they  would  not  diminish  the  rations  of  our  men 
at  the  fort.  The  British,  of  course,  were  desirous  of 
taking  Col.  Johnson  ;  but  he  eluded  all  their  vigi- 
lance until  the  spring  of  1781,  when  they  succeeded 
in  capturing  him.  It  was  on  this  wise.  Col.  John- 
son had  contracted  to  build  a  grist-mill  in  Peacham, 
and  when  he  went  up  with  the  mill-stones  in  March, 
he  put  up  at  the  house  of  Deacon  Jonathan  Elkins, 
in  Peacham,  which  house  was  surrounded  in  the  night 
by  some  British  and  tories,  was  broken  open,  and 
Johnson,  Jacob  Page,  Jonathan  and  Moses  Elkins, 
sons  of  Deacon  Elkins,  were  taken  prisoners.  But  as 
I  have  Col.  Johnson's  journal  of  this  date,  it  may  be 
more  interesting  to  give  the  journal  itself. 

"March  5,  1781.  This  morning  early,  went  over 
to  Haverhill  with  my  teams  for  my  mill- stones.  Re- 
turned before  dinner,  shod  my  oxen,  took  dinner, 
and  set  out  for  Peacham  at  2  P.  M.  This  night  put 
up  at  Orr's,  in  Ryegate. 

Tuesday,  Oth.  This  day,  being  thawy  and  bad  go- 
ing, I  was  obliged  to  leave  one  of  my  mill-stones 
within  one  mile  of  the  place  where  we  lodged.  This 
night  arrived  at  Peacham  with  the  other  mill-stone. 
Lodged  at  Mr.  Elkins'. 


192  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

"  Wednesday,  7th.  This  morning,  finding  rny  oxen 
lame,  I  sent  Mr.  Josiali  Page,  with  the  oxen,  home. 
Hired  Jonathan  Elkins,  with  his  oxen,  and  went  back 
and  took  the  other  mill-stone,  and  returned  to  Peach- 
am.  Should  have  returned  home  myself  this  even- 
ing, but  was  a  little  unwell. 

"  Thursday,  8th.  This  morning,  about  twelve  or 
one  o'clock,  I  awaked  out  of  my  sleep,  and  found  the 
house  beset  with  enemies.  Thought  I  would  slip  on 
my  stockings,  jump  out  of  the  window,  and  run. 
But  before  that,  came  in  two  men  with  their  guns 
pointed  at  me,  and  challenged  me  for  their  prisoner, 
but  did  not  find  myself  the  least  terrified.  Soon 
found  two  of  the  men  old  acquaintances  of  mine. 
I  saw  some  motions  for  tying  me,  but  I  told  them 
that  I  submitted  myself  a  prisoner,  and  would  offer 
no  abuse.  Soon  packed  up,  and  marched,  but  never 
saw  people  so  surprised  as  the  family  was.  When  we 
came  to  Mr.  Davis',  I  found  the  party  to  consist  of 
eleven  men,  Capt.  Prichard  commanding.  Then 
marched  seven  or  eight  miles,  when  daylight  began  to 
appear.  I  found  Moses  Elkins  looked  very  pale.  I 
told  the  captain  he  had  better  let  him  go  back,  for  he 
was  drowned  when  he  was  small,  and  that  he  would 
not  live  through  the  woods.  He  said  he  would  try 
him  further  ;  but  on  my  pleading  the  pity  it  would 


OF    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  193 

be  to  lose  such  a  youngster,  he  sent  him  back.  We 
soon  halted  for  refreshment.  To  my  great  surprise, 
I  found  John  Gibson  and  Barlow  of  the  party.  Then 
marched  about  four  miles,  and  obtained  leave  to 
write  a  letter  and  leave  on  a  tree,  then  marched.  I 
was  most  terribly  tired  and  faint.  Camped  down  on 
the  River  Lamoille  this  night. 

"  Friday,  9th.  This  day  marched  down  the  River 
Lamoille,  about  twelve  miles  below  the  forks.  One 
of  the  finest  countries  of  land  that  ever  I  saw. 
Camped  about  eleven  o'clock  at  night. 

"  Saturday,  10th.  This  day  marched  to  the  lake. 
Underwent  a  great  deal  by  being  faint  and  tired. 
The  captain  and  men  were  very  kind  to  us.  A 
stormy  and  uncomfortable  night. 

"  Sunday,  llth.  This  morning  went  on  to  the 
lake  ten  miles,  north  of  the  mouth  of  the  River  La- 
moille ;  marched  fifteen  miles  on  the  lake,  then 
crossed  the  Grand  Isle ;  marched  ten  miles  to  Point 
Au  Fer.  Dinner  being  on  the  table,  I  dined  with  the 
commandant  of  that  fort,  and  supped  with  him. 
Was  well  treated. 

"  Monday,  12th.  This  day  marched  to  the  Isle 
Au  Noix,  went  into  the  fort,  into  a  barrack,  got  a 
cooking  ;  but  the  commandant  ordered  the  prisoners 

out  of  the  fort  to  a  block-house  ;  but  soon  had  sent 
9 


194  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

me  a  good  dinner  and  a  bottle  of  wine.  Then  Capt. 
Sherwood  called  on  me  to  examine  me.  In  the  even- 
ing, Capt.  Sherwood  and  Capt.  Prichard  waited  on 
me  to  Mr.  Jones,  where  we  driuked  a  bottle  of  wine. 
Capt.  Prichard  and  I  slept  there. 

"  Tuesday,  13th.  This  day  marched  to  St.  John's. 
Col.  St.  Leger  took  me  to  his  house,  and  gave  me  a 
shirt,  gave  me  some  refreshment,  which  I  much  need- 
ed. Told  me  I  was  to  dine  with  him.  Major  Rogers 
and  Esq.  Marsh  and  others  dined  there.  Then  gave 
me  my  parole,  which  I  am  told  is  the  first  instance  of 
a  prisoner  having  his  parole  in  this  fort  without  some 
confinement.  Lodged  with  Esq.  Marsh. 

"  Wednesday,  14th.  This  morning,  Esquire  Marsh 
and  I  were  invited  to  Capt.  Sherwood's  to  breakfast. 
Then  Capt.  Sherwood  took  charge  of  me,  and  I  lived 
with  him.  To  my  great  satisfaction,  this  evening 
came  Mr.  Spardain  to  see  me,  who  was  a  prisoner  to 
me  at  Ti.  He  said,  on  hearing  that  I  was  a  prisoner, 
he  went  to  the  commandant  to  inform  him  of  the 
good  treatment  he  and  others  had  from  me  while  they 
were  prisoners  to  me.  The  commandant  sent  him  to 
my  quarters  to  inform  me  that  my  good  treatment  of 
them  was  much  to  my  advantage." 

In  this  same  journal,  under  date  of  June  14th,  we 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  195 

have  the  colonel's  impressions  from  witnessing  a  Ro- 
man Catholic  procession,  and  his  views  of  the  Cana- 
dians. He  was  at  this  time  at  Three  Rivers. 

"June  14th.  This  day  there  was  a  Roman  Catho- 
lic procession.  Their  walks,  their  shows,  very  extra- 
ordinary. Their  carrying  God  Almighty  about  the 
streets  is  something  new  to  me.  I  think  it  is  a  curee 
to  the  land,  and  a  curse  to  their  king,  to  have  such  a 
miserable  set  of  inhabitants  as  these  Canadians. 
They  are  the  most  ignorant,  superstitious,  idle,  and 
careless  set  of  people  that  can  be  thought  of,  spend- 
ing half  of  their  time  in  holidays  and  going  to  mass. 
The  women  wear  riding-hoods  the  hottest  weather." 

This  journal  of  Col.  Johnson  will  show  clearly  the 
policy  of  the  British  towards  different  individuals  of 
the  Grants,  treating  those  of  some  distinction  with 
great  urbanity  and  kindness,  in  hopes  of  winning 
them  over  to  their  cause,  and  treating  others  with 
needless  severity.  Col.  Johnson  was  treated  with  mark- 
ed attention  during  his  whole  stay  in  Canada ;  but 
it  fared  differently  with  Page  and  Elkins.  Johnson 
was  for  some  time  kept  at  St.  John's,  and  was  allowed 
his  parole — not  a  parole  to  go  where  he  pleased,  but  a 
parole  known  in  the  military  profession,  which  dis- 


196  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

tinguishes  between  friends  and  enemies  in  camp  ; 
and  it  is  a  privilege  granted  to  certain  individuals 
every  day,  and  proclamation  of  it  is  made  every  day 
by  a  certain  officer. 

Page  was  sent  directly  down  to  Montreal,  and  we 
never  hear  of  him  afterwards.  Jonathan  Elkins  was 
carried  directly  down  to  Quebec,  and  was  there  im- 
prisoned, and  suffered  immensely  from  want  until 
late  in  the  fall  of  1781,  when  he  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty  others  were  put  on  board  a  ship  and  sent  to 
England,  where  they  were  confined  in  Mill  Prison 
from  February  9,  1782.  till  the  24th  of  June  follow- 
ing. They  had  but  two-thirds  the  allowance  of  a 
common  soldier,  and  they  were  miserably  clad,  most 
of  them.  Dr.  Franklin,  who  was  then  our  minister 
at  France,  hearing  of  their  poor  condition,  sent  each 
prisoner  one  shilling  sterling  per  week,  in  addition  to 
their  allowance  from  the  British  government,  and  this 
was  a  great  relief  to  them.  Col.  Elkins  says  to  me 
under  his  own  hand — "  There  were  among  us  forty 
captains  of  vessels,  and  many  others  who  had  some 
learning  ;  and  when  we  got  our  shilling  a  week  from 
Dr.  Franklin,  it  was  proposed  that  we,  who  had  no 
learning,  should  pay  four  coppers  a  week  for  school- 
ing, and  soon  many  schools  were  opened.  Among 
the  rest,  I  procured  paper,  pen  and  ink,  and  a  slate, 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  197 

and  paid  my  four  coppers  per  week  for  tuition.  By 
this  means,  many  who  could  neither  read  nor  write, 
got  so  much  learning,  that  they  were  capable  of  trans- 
acting business  for  themselves,  and  a  number  of  us 
learned  the  mariner's  art,  so  as  to  be  capable  of  navi- 
gating a  ship.  On  the  24th  of  June,  1782,  there  were 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-three  prison- 
ers put  on  board  a  cartel,  and  sent  to  America  in  ex- 
change for  Lord  Cornwallis*  grenadiers  and  light  in- 
fantry. And  I  returned  with  them  to  my  native 
country. 

"JONATHAN  ELKINS. 

14  Peacham,  Vt,  Deo.  8,  1832." 

We  return  again  to  see  how  it  resulted  with  John- 
son. Notwithstanding  Johnson  was  treated  with  so 
much  apparent  respect,  he  could  not  but  observe  that 
he  had  his  quarters  often  shifted  from  St.  John's  to 
Montreal,  then  to  Chambly,  then  to  Three  Kivers, 
and  at  each  place  he  would  be  interrogated  by  differ- 
ent officers  relative  to  flie  views  and  feelings  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Grants,  and  what  he  thought  of 
the  prospects  of  the  Colonies.  To  all  these  and  sim- 
ilar inquiries  he  replied  with  as  much  apparent  indif- 
ference to  the  cause  of  America  as  he  could  show, 
never  relating  to  them  an  untruth,  and  still  reserving 


198  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

to  himself  whatever  he  thought  might  be  advanta- 
geous to  them,  and  detrimental  to  America.  And  he 
had  cause  to  congratulate  himself  for  having  adhered 
to  this  uniform  course  ;  for  he  found  out,  after  a 
while,  that  all  his  conversation  with  these  different 
officers,  at  different  places,  was  penned  down  and  sent 
to  the  supreme  commandant,  to  be  inspected  by  him, 
to  see  if  his  statements  agreed.  He  caught  the  read- 
ing of  a  note,  also,  which  was  sent  from  one  in  high 
command  to  the  young  officer  who  had  the  charge  of 
him.  The  purport  of  it  was  this — "  I  take  you  to  be 
a  person  of  too  much  sense  and  intelligence  to  be  im- 
posed upon  by  the  prisoner."  The  young  man's 
sense  and  intelligence  were  not  enough  to  restrain 
him  from  occasional  hard  drinking,  and  at  one  of 
those  seasons,  he  left  this  note  exposed  to  Johnson's 
inspection.  These  things  taught  Johnson  that  after 
all  their  show  of  confidence  in  him,  they  were  still 
suspicious  of  him  ;  and  he  thought,  if  they  were  dis- 
posed to  play  Yankee  with  him,  he  would  take  a  game 
with  them  at  that.  He  accordingly  affected  more  and 
more  indifference  to  the  cause  of  the  Colonies,  until 
they  began  to  feel  that  if  he  was  in  other  circum- 
stances, he  would  render  them  essential  service.  Ac- 
cordingly, after  retaining  him  between  seven  and 
eight  months,  they  told  Johnson  if  he  would  give 


OF    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  199 

them  information  of  the  movements  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, supply  their  scouts  with  provision  if  called  up- 
on, and  return  to  them  when  they  demanded,  he 
might  return  home  upon  his  parole.  Johnson  assent- 
ed to  these  stipulations,  and  signed  the  following  in- 
strument :  — 

."I,  Lieut.  Col.  Johnson,  now  at  .  John's,  do 
hereby  pledge  my  faith  and  word  of  honor  to  his  ex- 
cellency, Gen.  Holdimand,  whose  permission  I  have 
obtained  to  go  home,  that  I  shall  not  do  or  say  any 
thing  contrary  to  his  majesty's  interest  or  govern- 
ment ;  and  that  whenever  required  so  to  do,  I  shall 
repair  to  whatever  place  his  excellency  or  any  other 
his  majesty's  commander-in-chief  in  America  shall 
judge  expedient  to  order  me,  until  I  shall  be  legally 
exchanged,  and  such  other  person  as  shall  be  agreed 
upon,  sent  in  my  place. 

"  Given  under  my  hand  at  St.  John's,   this  fifth 

day  of  October,  one  thousand  seven  hundred 

and  eighty-one. 

"  Col.  THOMAS  JOHNSON." 

Upon  Col.  Johnson's  signing  this  instrument,  he 
returned  home  to  his  family  at  Newbury,  and  neither 
received  any  intelligence  from  the  British,  nor  gave 


200  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

any,  until  January  following,  as  we  learn  from  a 
communication  of  Col.  Johnson  to  Gen.  Washington, 
bearing  date,  May  30,  1782.  In  January,  Col.  John- 
son received  a  letter  from  Capt.  Prichard,  by  the 
hand  of  Levi  Sylvester,  of  Newbury,  and  one  from 
George  Smith,  in  Canada.  In  February,  1782,  Col. 
Johnson  wrote  a  letter  to  Gen.  Holdimand  and  one 
to  Prichard,  and  sent  them  by  Sylvester.  He  sent, 
also,  two  newspapers  containing  the  account  of  the 
surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis.  A  copy  of  those  letters 
was  sent  to  Gen.  Washington  the  May  following,  and 
a  copy  of  Smith's  letter  to  Johnson  was  also  enclosed. 
Sylvester  informed  Col.  Johnson  that  Major  Rogers 
had  come  into  the  Grants  at  the  head  of  a  strong 
scout,  and  was  then  at  Mooretown,  now  Bradford, 
and  wished  to  see  him  that  night ;  but  Johnson  was 
detained,  and  did  not  go  until  some  days  after,  and 
then  he  did  not  find  Rogers,  and  did  not  see  him  at 
all. 

At  this  time  Col.  Johnson  feeling  oppressed  with 
his  peculiar  situation,  being  liable,  on  the  one  hand, 
to  be  viewed  and  treated  as  a  traitor  by  the  British, 
and  on  the  other,  to  be  numbered  with  the  enemies 
of  his  country,  determined  to  communicate  to  Gen. 
Washington  all  he  had  learned  in  his  captivity,  all  he 
had  done  to  obtain  his  liberty,  and  all  he  had  done 


OP    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  201 

from  the  time  of  his  leaving  Canada,  and  his  motives 
for  doing  so,  and  solicit  the  general's  advice  in  respect 
to  the  course  he  had  better  pursue.  He  accordingly 
wrote  a  detailed  account,  covering  about  nine  pages 
of  common-sized  paper,  too  long  to  be  inserted  in 
these  sketches,  agreeing,  to  wonderful  exactness,  with 
the  statement  the  colonel  made  to  me,  near  the  close 
of  life,  although  he  did  not  know  at  that  time  that  a 
single  line  of  it  was  in  existence,  and  expressed  the 
deepest  regret  that  he  had  not  kept  copies  of  his  let- 
ters to  Washington,  and  of  Washington's  letter  to 
him.  They  have,  however,  since  come  to  light,  hav- 
ing been  found  among  Washington's  private  paperp, 
and  are  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Rev.  Jared 
Sparks,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  and  have  been  by  him 
transcribed  and  certified,  at  the  request  of  Mr.  David 
Johnson,  of  Newbury.  This  first  paper  to  which  I 
allude  is  an  interesting  document,  and,  would  my 
limits  permit,  I  should  be  pleased  to  give  it  entire  to 
my  readers  ;  but  the  letter  accompanying,  and  those 
which  followed  this  communication,  will  explain  this 
whole  affair,  and  revive  many  interesting  facts  which 
have  lain  dormant,  perhaps,  in  the  minds  of  the  aged 
for  many  years.  The  letter  accompanying  the  docu- 
ment bears  the  same  date  of  the  document  itself,  and 
is  as  follows  : 
9* 


202  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES 

"THOS.  JOHNSON  TO  GEN.  WASHINGTON. 

"Newbury,  30  May,  1782. 

"May  it  please  your  excellency  to  indulge  me 
while  I  say,  that  in  the  month  of  March,  1781,  I 
was  taken  a  prisoner,  as  set  forth  in  my  narrative, 
continued  in  Canada  until  September,  when  I  ob- 
tained liberty  to  return  home  on  parole,  which  I 
could  effect  only  by  engaging  to  carry  on  a  corres- 
pondence with  them.  This  was  my  view,  to  get 
what  intelligence  I  was  able  respecting  their  plans 
and  movements,  and  in  hopes  to  be  exchanged,  that 
I  might  be  able,  in  a  regular  way,  to  have  given  some 
important  intelligence.  I  have  taken  such  measures 
as  appeared  most  likely  to  effect  the  same ;  but  as 
these  have  hitherto  failed,  I  find  the  season  so  far 
advanced  as  not  to  admit  of  further  delay  without 
acquainting  your  excellency. 

"  The  proposed  plans  of  the  enemy  for  the  last 
campaign  were  frustrated  for  want  of  provisions ; 
but  they  determined  to  pursue  them  this  spring  as 
early  as  possible.  To  this  end,  they  have  used  their 
most  unwearied  endeavors  with  Vermont  to  prepare 
the  way,  which  they  have,  in  a  great  and  incredible 
degree,  brought  to  pass,  and  is  daily  increasing  ;  arid 
unless  some  speedy  stop  is  put  to  it,  I  dread  the  con- 
sequences.  I  entreat  your  excellency,  that  if  possi- 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  203 

ble,  by  a  regular  exchange,  I  may  be  enabled  to  give 
nil  the  intelligence  in  my  power  without  hazarding 
my  character,  which,  otherwise,  I  am  determined  to 
do,  at  the  risk  of  my  honor,  my  all — and,  perhaps,  to 
the  great  injury  of  hundreds  of  poor  prisoners  now 
in  their  hands.  Having  had  experience,  I  am  grieved 
to  think  of  their  situation.  This  infernal  plan  of 
treachery  with  Vermont  (as  I  have  often  heard  in 
Canada)  was  contrived  before  Ethan  Allen  left  the 
British,  and  he  was  engaged  on  their  side.  It  ran 
through  the  country  like  a  torrent,  from  New  York 
to  Canada,  and  the  present  temper  of  Vermont  is  a 
piece  of  the  same.  Were  the  people  in  general  upon 
the  Grants,  on  this  side  the  mountains,  to  declare  for 
New  Hampshire  or  New  York,  it  would  be  contrary 
to  the  agreement  of  their  leading  men  ;  and,  unless 
protected  by  your  excellency,  the  innocent  with  the 
guilty  would  share  a  miserable  fate.  This  part  of 
the  country  being  sold  by  a  few  designing  men,  of 
whom  a  large  number  are  very  jealous,  a  small  num- 
ber have  by  me  their  informer,  or  otherwise,  got  the 
certainty  of  it,  and  it  puts  them  in  a  most  disagreea- 
ble situation.  They  are  desirous  of  declaring  for 
New  Hampshire  ;  but  many  of  their  leaders  earnestly 
dissuading  them  from  it,  it  keeps  us  in  a  tumult,  and 
I  fear  the  enemy  will  get  so  great  an  advantage  as  to 


204  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

raise  their  standard  to  the  destruction  of  this  part  of 
the  country.  They  keep  their  spies  constantly  in  this 
quarter  without  molestation,  and  know  every  move- 
ment, and  transmit  the  same  directly  to  Canada  ;  and 
when  matters  take  a  turn  contrary  to  their  minds, 
we  are  miserably  exposed  to  their  severest  resentment. 
I  am  entirely  devoted  to  your  excellency's  pleasure. 
Should  my  past  conduct  meet  your  excellency's  ap- 
probation, my  highest  ambition  will  be  satisfied  ;  if 
not,  deal  with  me  as  your  wisdom  shall  dictate.  I 
most  earnestly  entreat  your  excellency  to  meditate  a 
moment  on  my  critical  and  perplexing  situation,  as 
well  as  that  of  this  part  of  the  country,  and  that  I 
may  receive  by  Capt.  Bailey,  the  bearer,  who  will  be 
able  to  give  you  further  information,  your  excellency's 
pleasure  in  this  affair.  I  beg  leave  to  subscribe  my- 
self your  excellency's  most  sincere  and  most  devoted 
servant. 

"THOS.  JOHNSON." 

Col.  Johnson  stated  in  this  letter  what  he  verily 
believed  to  be  true  of  the  men  in  the  Grants,  who 
were  carrying  on  a  correspondence  with  the  British. 
He  viewed  it  just  as  it  was  viewed  by  the  British,  and 
he  had  no  means  of  knowing  any  thing  to  the  con- 
trary ;  but  it  ultimately  appeared  that  some  of  these 


OF    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  205 

men,  who  were  considered  friends  to  the  British,  were 
playing  a  deep  game,  in  which  the  British,  the  Con- 
tinental Congress,  and  themselves,  were  distinct  par- 
ties. These  men  were  determined  that  Vermont 
should  be  a  distinct  and  independent  community,  like 
the  other  states  ;  but  as  Congress  would  not  receive 
them,  and  had  withdrawn  their  troops  that  had  been 
sent  for  their  defence,  they  managed  as  they  could 
with  the  British  to  preserve  the  Grants  from  invasion. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  the  British  were  completely 
deceived  by  them,  and  Ethan  Allen  procured  an  en- 
gagement, on  the  part  of  the  British,  that  no  hostili- 
ties should  be  carried  on  against  Vermont.  The 
principal  men  in  this  understanding  were  Thomas 
Chittenden,  Moses  Robinson,  Samuel  Safford,  Ethan 
Allen,  Ira  Allen,  Timothy  Brownson,  John  Fasset, 
and  Joseph  Fay.  But  at  the  same  time,  the  British 
correspondence,  with  them  was  transmitted  to  Con- 
gress, by  these  men,  to  operate  as  an  inducement  for 
Congress  to  receive  them  into  the  Union,  and  Ethan 
Allen  wrote  to  Congress  in  the  following  bold  and 
impassioned  language  : — "I  am  resolutely  determined 
to  defend  the  independence  of  Vermont,  as  Congress 
are  that  of  the  United  States,  and  rather  than  fail, 
will  retire  with  the  hardy  Green  Mountain  Boys  into 
the  caverns  of  the  mountains,  and  wage  war  with  hu- 


206  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

man  nature  at  large."  But  surely  there  was  enough 
seen  and  heard  in  Canada,  at  the  time  Col.  Johnson 
was  prisoner  there,  to  make  any  friend  of  his  country 
tremble  for  the  consequences.  But  we  have  Gen. 
"Washington's  answer  to  Col.  Johnson's  letter  of  the 
30th  May,  1782. 

"  To  Capt.  Thomas  Johnson,  Exeter,  N.  H. 

Head-Quarters,  14  June,  1782. 

"  Sir, 

"  I  have  received  your  favor  per  Capt.  Bailey,  and 
thank  you  for  the  information  contained,  and  would 
beg  you  to  continue  your  communication  whenever 
you  shall  collect  any  intelligence  you  shall  think  of 
importance.  It  would  give  me  real  pleasure  to  have 
it  in  my  power  to  effect  your  exchange  ;  but  some  un- 
happy circumstances  have  lately  taken  place,  which, 
for  the  present,  cut  off  all  exchange.  If  you  can  fall 
upon  any  mode  to  accomplish  your  wishes,  in  which  I 
can  with  propriety  give  you  my  assistance,  I  shall  be 
very  glad  to  afford  it. 

I  am,  sir,  &c. 

"G.  WASHINGTON." 


"THOS  JOHSON  TO  GEN.  WASHINGTON. 

Exeter,  July  20,  1782. 

"I  am  obliged  by  your  excellency's  favor  of  the 
14th  June,  to  acknowledge  your  excellency's  goodness 
in  offering  your  assistance  in  my  exchange.  I  think 


OF    THE  COOS  COUNTRY.  207 

it  proper  to  give  a  more  particular  account  of  my  sit- 
uation, and  have  enclosed  a  copy  of  my  parole  for 
your  perusal.  I  think,  agreeable  to  the  parole,  they 
cannot  refuse  a  man  in  my  room,  although  there  is 
no  exchange  agreed  upon.  Your  excellency  will  de- 
termine on  my  rank.  I  was  held  at  Canada  a  lieuten- 
ant-colonel in  the  militia.  I  was  a  captain,  and  after- 
wards chosen  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  militia, 
agreeable  to  the  order  of  the  Assembly  of  New  York  ; 
but  being  at  a  groat  distance,  before  my  commission 
could  reach  me,  Vermont  claimed  jurisdiction,  and  I 
never  had  the  commission,  and  I  told  them  the  same  ; 
but  I  was  obliged  to  acknowledge  myself  as  such  in 
my  parole,  or  I  could  not  have  accomplished  my  de- 
sign. My  situation  grows  more  distressing.  I  have 
been  exposed  by  the  infirmity  or  imprudence  of  a 
gentleman,  one  that  we  could  not  have  expected  it 
from.  I  have  received  nothing  of  much  importance 
since  my  last.  I  have  since  received  a  confirmation 
of  their  intentions  to  execute  rigorous  measures 
againt  the  opposers  of  Vermont.  I  have  fears  of  an 
invasion  on  that  part  of  New  Hampshire  by  the  im- 
prudence above  mentioned.  I  have  fears  of  the  cor- 
respondence being  stopped  ;  have  wrote  to  Canada  ; 
since  which,  by  agreement,  Capt.  Prichard  was  to 
meet  on  Onion  River,  the  10th  of  this  instant.  Pri- 


208  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

vate  concerns  brought  me  here  at  this  time.  If  sus- 
picion don't  prevent,  I  expect  something  of  impor- 
tance waiting  for  me  ;  should  it  prevent,  shall  stand 
in  the  greatest  need  of  a  man  to  send  in  exchange  for 
me. 

"I  am,  sir,  your  most  humble  servant, 

"THOS.  JOHNSON." 

We  have  another  letter  from  Col.  Johnson  to  Gen. 
Washington,  dated  at  Atkinson,  N.  H. ,  September 
20,  1782.  This  is  a  letter  of  four  pages,  and  as  it 
differs  not  materially  from  the  two  former,  I  omit  it 
in  these  sketches. 

I  give  place  to  a  letter  of  Meshech  Weare  to  Gen. 
Washington  on  the  subject  of  Col.  Johnson's  peculiar 
circumstances.  This  Mr.  Weare  was  governor  of 
New  Hampshire  in  1784. 

"MESHECH  WEARE  TO  GEN.  WASHINGTON. 

"  Hampton  Falls,  Nov.  25,  1782. 
"Sir, 

"  The  bearer,  Col.  Thomas  Johnson,  of  whose 
conduct  with  respect  to  procuring  intelligence  from 
the  enemy,  your  excellency  has  been  informed,  now 
waits  on  you  to  communicate  some  things  which  ap- 
pear to  be  important.  From  every  information  I 
have  been  able  to  obtain,  I  have  no  reason  to  suspect 


OF    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  209 

his  honesty  or  fidelity.  His  situation  at  this  time  is 
very  difficult,  as  he  will  fully  inform  you,  and  re- 
quests your  assistance  in  such  way  as  you  may  think 
proper.  I  cannot  help  expressing  my  fears  of  what 
may  be  the  consequence'of  the  negotiations  carrying 
on  between  Vermont  and  Canada,  of  which  there 
seems  now  to  be  scarce  a  doubt. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  the  greatest  respect, 
yours,  &c. 

"  MESHECH  WEARE." 

We  have  one  other  interesting  letter  on  this  sub- 
ject. It  is  from  Nathaniel  Peabody,  of  Atkinson, 
N.  H.  Mr.  Peabody  was  a  member  of  the  council  in 
New  Hampshire,  in  1785,  and  subsequently  a  mem- 
ber of  Congress. 

"  NATH.    PEABODY  TO  GEN.    WASHINGTON. 

"  Atkinson,  State  of  New  Hampshire, 
Nov.  27,  1782. 

"Sir — I  take  the  liberty  to  address  your  excellency 
respecting  the  unhappy  situation  of  Lieut.  Col.  John- 
son, of  Newbury,  Coos,  who  will  take  charge  of  this 
letter,  and  do  himself  the  honor  to  wait  on  your  ex- 
cellency in  person.  Col.  Johnson  is  desirous  of  giv- 
ing to  your  excellency  every  information  in  his  power, 
relative  to  the  situation,  strength,  and  designs  of  the 


210  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

enemy  at  the  northward,  the  embarrassed  state  of  af- 
fairs in  the  country  where  he  lives,  and  more  particu- 
larly the  ineligible  circumstances  in  which  his  own 
person,  family,  and  domestic  concerns  are  unhappily 
involved. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  he  hath  been  ungenerously  de- 
ceived, injured,  and  betrayed  by  some  persons  with 
whom  he  found  it  necessary  to  intrust  certain  secrets, 
to  him  of  great  importance,  and  from  whom  he  had 
a  claim  to  better  treatment. 

"  The  latter  end  of  last  month  I  received  a  letter 
from  Col.  Johnson,  the  contents  of  which  he  will 
make  known  to  you  ;  and  I  should  have  then  done 
myself  the  honor  of  transmitting  the  same,  with 
some  other  information,  to  your  excellency  ;  but  on  a 
conference  I  had  with  the  president  of  this  state,  it 
was  concluded  that  intrusting  affairs  of  that  nature 
by  common  post-riders  would  be  unsafe  for  the  pub- 
lic, and  dangerous  for  Col.  Johnson,  and  that  it  was 
expedient  to  despatch  an  express  on  purpose,  as  it  was 
adjudged  probable  your  excellency  had  such  a  variety 
of  other  channels  for  information,  that  there  was  lit- 
tle prospect  of  giving  new  and  important  intelligence. 
From  the  best  information  I  have  been  able  to  obtain, 
my  own  observation,  and  the  personal  knowledge  I 
have  had  for  some  years  past,  of  Col.  Johnson,  I  am 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  211 

led  without  hesitating  to  conclude  that  he  is  a  faith- 
ful and  sincere  friend  to  the  independence  of  these 
United  States  ;  that  he  would  contribute  every  thing 
in  his  power  to  promote  the  political  salvation  of  this, 
his  native  country  ;  and  that  he  is  a  gentleman  on 
whose  declaration  your  excellency  may  place  full  de- 
pendence. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be  yours,  &c. 

"NATH.  PEABODY." 


The  above  has  been  copied  from  the  originals  now 
in  my  possession. 

JARED  SPARKS. 
Cambridge,  Sept.  17,  1835. 


There  is  nothing  on  paper  to  show  the  result  of 
Col.  Johnson's  interview  with  Gen.  Washington  ;  but 
it  is  well  known  with  what  feeling  and  interest  the 
colonel  related  the  particulars  of  that  interview  until 
the  close  of  life.  It  is  not  probable  that  Gen.  Wash- 
ington was  at  that  time  in  circumstances  to  effect  an 
exchange  of  prisoners,  so  as  to  set  Johnson  at  liberty, 
nor  does  this  seem  to  be  the  main  object  of  his  visit ; 
but  he  obtained  the  full  approbation  of  Washington, 
and  enjoyed  his  sympathies,  as  he  had  previously  ex- 
pressed in  his  letter.  But  the  treaty  of  peace,  which 


212  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

was  signed  on  the  20th  of  January,  1783,  in  less  than 
two  months  after  Col.  Johnson's  visit  to  Washington, 
set  Johnson  at  liberty,  dissipated  all  anxieties,  and 
conveyed  peace  and  independence  to  the  states. 

I  have  given  place  to  the  preceding  documents  for 
two  reasons  :  one  is,  they  give  the  present  generation 
a  more  lively  and  distinct  idea  of  the  trials  and  dan- 
gers which  the  inhabitants  of  Coos  sustained  in  the 
revolutionary  struggle,  than  any  general  history  of 
those  times  gives,  or  can  give  ;  the  other  is,  to  do  jus- 
tice to  the  injured.  All  know  what  aspersions  were 
heaped  upon  Col.  Johnson  for  the  part  he  was  said  to 
perform  at  that  eventful  period,  and  what  pain  it  in- 
flicted on  him  through  life,  although  conscious  of  in- 
nocence in  respect  to  those  charges.  He  supposed 
time  and  Providence  had  forever  deprived  him  of  the 
means  to  demonstrate  his  innocence  ;  and  under  this 
apprehension,  he  resigned  this  life,  January  4th,  1819, 
aged  seventy-seven  years.  But  it  seems  that  Provi- 
dence designed  ultimately  to  refute  all  those  charges  ; 
and  what  God  undertakes  is  thoroughly  done.  If 
ever  mortal  man  was  vindicated  in  any  supposed  case, 
and  his  character  set  above  all  suspicion,  that  man  is 
Col.  Thomas  Johnson,  touching  his  patriotism  in  the 
day  that  tried  men's  souls. 

I  have  already  stated  how  desirable  an  object  it  was 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  213 

with  the  British  to  get  in  possession  of  Oen.  Jacob 
Bailey.  A  bold  and  determined  effort  to  effect  this 
was  made  on  the  17th  of  June,  1782,  while  Col. 
Johnson  was  at  home  on  parole.  Gen.  Bailey  lived 
at  the  Johnson  village,  in  a  house  where  now  stands 
the  brick  house  of  Josiah  Little.  Gapt.  Prichard 
and  his  scout,  to  the  number  of  eighteen  men,  lay 
upon  the  heights  west  of  the  Ox  Bow,  and  they  made 
a  signal  for  Col.  Johnson  to  visit  them.  Johnson 
went,  as  he  was  bound  to  do  by  the  terms  of  his  pa- 
role, and  he  learned  that  they  had  come  to  capture 
Gen.  Bailey  that  evening.  Johnson  was  now  in  a 
great  strait.  Bailey  was  his  neighbor,  and  a  host 
against  the  enemy,  and  Johnson  could  not  have  him 
go  into  captivity  ;  and  yet  he  must  seem  to  conform 
to  the  wishes  of  Prichard,  or  he  would  be  recalled  to 
Canada  him  self,  and  in  all  probability  have  his  build- 
ings laid  in  ashes.  Johnson  returned  to  his  house, 
and  resolved  to  inform  Bailey  of  his  danger,  at  the 
hazard  of  every  thing  to  himself.  But  how  was  thia 
to  be  done  ?  Bailey,  with  two  of  his  sons,  was 
ploughing  on  the  Ox  Bow.  Prichard's  elevated  situ- 
ation on  the  hill  enabled  him  to  look  down  upon  the 
Ox  Bow  as  upon  a  map.  The  secret  was  intrusted 
to  Dudley  Carleton,  Esq.,  the  brother  of  Col.  John- 
son's wife.  Johnson  wrote  on  a  slip  of  paper  this 


214  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

laconic  sentence — "The  Philistines  be  upon  thee, 
Sampson!"  He  gave  it  to  Carleton,  and  instructed 
him  to  go  on  to  the  meadow,  pass  directly  by  Bailey 
without  stopping  or  speaking,  but  drop  the  paper  in 
his  view,  and  return  home  by  a  circuitous  rout.  Car- 
leton performed  the  duty  assigned  him  well.  Gen. 
Bailey,  when  he  came  to  the  paper,  carelessly  took 
the  paper  and  read  it,  and  as  soon  as  he  could,  with- 
out exciting  suspicion  in  the  minds  of  lookers  on, 
proposed  to  turn  out  the  team,  and  said  to  his  sons, 
"  Boys,  take  care  of  yourselves  !  "  and  went  himself 
down  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  the  sons  went  up 
to  the  house,  to  carry  the  tidings  to  the  guard  that 
was  stationed  there.  The  guard  consisted  of  Capt. 
Frye  Bailey,  commandant,  Ezra  Gates,  Jacob  Bailey, 
Jun.,  Joshua  Bailey,  Sergeant  Samuel  Torrey,  a  hired 
man  of  Gen.  Bailey,  three  boys — John  Bailey,  Isaac 
Bailey,  and  Thomas  Metcalf — and  a  hired  maid, 
Sarah  Fowler. 

Although  the  guard  was  apprised  of  the  general's 
apprehensions,  yet  it  would  seem  they  thought  his 
fears  were  groundless,  for  they  were  taken  by  surprise 
at  early  twilight,  while  they  were  taking  their  eve- 
ning grog  ;  or,  we  might  more  significantly  say,  per- 
haps, that  they  were  taking  in  a  freight  of  prowess  to 
be  tested  at  a  late  hour  of  the  night.  The  enemy 


OP    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  215 

were  not  discovered  until  they  were  within  a  few  rode 
of  the  frontdoor.  Sergeant  Torrey  met  them  at  the 
door,  and  levelled  Ins  piece  at  them  ;  but  Prichard 
knocked  aside  the  gun,  made  Torrey  his  prisoner, 
and  the  enemy  rushed  in.  The  guard  dispersed  in 
all  directions.  Ezra  Gates  was  wounded  in  the  arm 
by  a  ball,  as  he  ran  from  the  south  front  door,  and  a 
gun  was  discharged  at  John  Bailey,  as  he  was  jump- 
ing the  fence  to  run  for  the  Ox  Bow,  and  two  balls 
lodged  in  the  fence  close  to  him.  Thomas  Metcalf 
reached  (he  meadow,  where  he  tarried  all  night. 
Gates  was  brought  in  and  laid  on  the  bed,  where  he 
lay  bleeding  and  groaning,  whilst  the  enemy  were 
searching  the  house  for  prisoners  and  papers. 

But  there  was  one  belonging  to  the  house,  who  dis- 
played great  presence  of  mind  and  intrepidity.  It 
was  woman  !  woman,  who  in  ten  thousand  instances, 
has  risen  superior  to  danger,  and  performed  astonish- 
ing deeds  of  heroism,  when  man,  her  lord  by  consti- 
tution, has  forfeited  his  claim  to  superiority  by  timid- 
ity and  flight  !  Sarah  Fowler,  the  servant-maid 
spoken  of,  remained  upon  the  ground  with  a  babe  of 
Mrs.  Bailey  in  her  arms,  undismayed  at  the  sight  of 
loaded  muskets  and  bristling  bayonets,  and  repeated- 
ly extinguished  a  candle,  which  had  been  lighted  for 
the  purpose  of  searching  the  house.  Not  succeeding 


216  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

with  a  candle,  one  of  the  party  took  a  firebrand,  and 
attempted  to  renew  the  search  ;  this  the  dauntless 
maid  struck  from  his  hand,  and  strewed  the  coals 
around  the  room.  This  was  too  much  for  British 
blood  ;  and  one  of  the  soldiers  swore,  by  a  tremen- 
dous oath,  that  if  she  annoyed  them  any  more,  he 
would  blow  out  her  brains,  showing  at  the  same  time 
how  he -would  do  it.  She  then  desisted,  as  she  had 
good  reason  to  believe  he  would  execute  his  threat. 

Mrs.  Bailey  had,  at  the  moment  of  the  onset,  es- 
caped through  an  eastern  window,  and  lay  concealed 
in  currant  bushes  in  the  garden.  The  enemy,  having 
destroyed  one  gun,  and  taken  what  papers  they  could 
find,  commenced  their  retreat,  greatly  disappointed 
in  respect  to  the  main  object  of  their  pursuit,  for  the 
general  was  resting  securely  on  Haverhill  side.  They 
took  with  them  prisoners,  Gates  and  Pike,  the  hired 
man  of  Gen.  Bailey,  and  proceeded  south.  An 
alarm  was  given,  but  not  in  time  to  arrest  the  enemy. 
About  a  half  a  mile  south,  they  met  James  Bailey, 
son  of  Gen.  Bailey,  whom  they  took  prisoner,  and 
kept  until  the  close  of  the  war.  They  took  also 
Pelatiah  Bliss,  who  lived  near  where  Harry  C.  Bailey 
now  lives.  Bliss  whined  and  cried,  and  made  so 
much  ado  about  his  wife  and  babes,  and  exhibited 
so  many  symptoms  of  a  weak  mind,  that,  after  con- 


OF    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  217 

sul  tat  ion,  they  permitted  him  to  escape.  They  called 
at  one  other  house,  Andrew  Carter's,  drank  all  the 
pans  of  milk  the  old  lady  had,  and  then  prosecuted 
their  march  into  Canada,  to  report  the  failure  of 
their  expedition.  "  But,"  says  Col.  Elkins,  of 
Peacham,  in  his  letter  of  December  7,  1832,  "this 
failure  of  the  British,  in  the  main  object  of  their  ex- 
pedition, brought  fresh  trouble  upon  Col.  Thomas 
Johnson.  The  tories  in  the  vicinity,  who  had  laid 
the  plan  for  taking  Gen.  Bailey,  learning  that  he  was 
not  at  home  that  night,  and  knowing  that  he  was  not 
in  the  habit  of  being  absent  from  his  family  over 
night,  unless  on  business  out  of  town,  said  at  once, 
Johnson  was  a  traitor  to  their  cause,  for  he  must 
have  given  Bailey  information  of  his  danger.  Thig 
rumor  went  with  the  party  back  to  Canada,  and 
produced  strong  sensations  of  jealousy  and  resent- 
ment there.  Johnson  was  now  the  man  to  be  ob- 
tained, and  his  buildings  were  to  be  destroyed  by  fire 
the  next  spring,  if  not  before.  But  the  disposition  to 
peace  in  the  mother  country,  and  the  actual  treaty 
before  the  year  came  about,  saved  Johnson  from  the 
calamities  threatened  upon  him. 

From  this  time  the  people  of  Coos  moved  on  in  the 
even  tenor  of  their  way  to  ease  and  independence  in 
their  circumstances.     But  even  at  the  late  period  of 
10 


218  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

which  we  have  been  speaking,  a  one-horse  pleasure 
carriage  had  never  been  seen  at  Coos.  The  first  that 
was  ever  seen  in  Newbury,  was  brought  into  the  place 
by  a  Rev.  Mr.  Goddard,  who  was  preaching  as  a  can- 
didate to  the  people  there,  after  the  dismission  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Powers.  He  rode  up  to  Gen.  Bailey's,  as 
he  came  into  town,  in  a  chaise  or  sulkey.  There  was 
living  at  the  general's  a  young  miss,  who  happened 
to  be  in  at  a  neighboring  house  to  visit  an  aunt,  at 
the  time  Mr.  Goddard  passed.  So  strange  a  vehicle 
greatly  excited  her  curiosity,  and  she  called  out  to 
her  aunt,  "  0,  come  here,  aunt  !  come  here,  and  see 
a  man  riding  in  a  cart  with  two  tongues  !"  On 
horseback  in  summer,  and  in  sleighs  in  winter,  were 
the  only  methods  of  riding  at  that  day. 

I  have  previously  said  that  Haverhill  and  Newbury 
were  never  one  ecclesiastical  society  after  the  dismis- 
sion of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Powers.  The  Rev.  Jacob  Wood 
was  the  successor  of  Mr.  Powers  in  Newbury.  He 
was  ordained  on  the  second  Wednesday  in  January, 
1788  ;  departed  this  life,  February  10,  1790,  aged  33. 
Rev.  Nathaniel  Lambert  was  ordained,  November  17, 
1790 ;  dismissed  April  4,  1809.  Rev.  Luther  Jewett 
was  ordained,  February  28,  1821  ;  ceased  to  officiate, 
February  3,  1825  ;  dismissed,  February  19,  1828. 


OP    THE    COOS    COUNTRY.  219 

Rev.  Clark  Perry  was  ordained,  June  4,  1828  ;  dis- 
missed, June  15,  1835.  Rev.  George  Campbell  was 
installed,  January  27,  1-636,  and  remains  their  pastor. 
Let  us  hope  for  a  long,  successful,  and  happy  union. 
From  the  time  Mr.  Powers  closed  his  labors  at 
Haverhill,  the  people  enjoyed  but  little  preaching 
until  the  year  1790.  There  was  no  organized  church 
in  Haverhill,  as  they  had  belonged  to  Newbury 
church,  and  there  were  but  two  males,  members  of 
Newbury  church,  who  belonged  on  Haverhill  side, 
viz.,  Col.  Charles  Johnston  and  the  Hon.  James 
Woodward.  The  prospects  of  Haverhill  were  at  that 
time  very  gloomy  in  respect  to  religion,  and  for  nine 
months  preceding  the  spring  of  1790,  there  had  not 
been  a  sermon  preached  in  the  place.  But  in  the 
spring  of  that  year,  a  melancholy  death  of  a  woman 
occurred  in  the  house  now  occupied  by  Capt.  Uriah 
Ward,  which  seemed  to  impress  all  minds  with  so- 
lemnity. She  had  lived  far  from  righteousness,  and 
died  in  great  agony  of  soul  in  view  of  her  endless 
ruin.  And  now  the  precious  grain,  sown  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Powers,  which  had  lain  buried  long,  being 
watered  by  the  dews  and  rains  of  divine  grace,  and 
warmed  by  the  vivifying  rays  of  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness, began  to  germinate  and  to  appear,  to  the  great 
joy  of  those  few  who  had  waited  and  prayed  for  con- 


220  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

solation  in  Israel.  The  holy  and  blessed  spirit  seemed 
to  come  down  upon  them  as  a  rushing,  mighty  wind  ; 
and  it  was  but  a  short  time  before  there  was  but  one 
house,  from  the  Dow  farm  to  Piermont  line,  in  which 
there  was  no  special  awakening  with  the  occupants. 
That  house  was  at  the  Ayers'  place.  In  all  other 
habitations  there  were  wailings  for  sin.  People 
pressed  together  for  prayer  and  instruction,  and 
clergymen,  hearing  of  the  wonders  of  God  at  Haver- 
hill,  came  to  obtain  and  to  impart  a  blessing.  The 
Eev.  Dr.  Burton,  of  Thetford,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Bur- 
roughs, of  Hanover,  were  peculiarly  helpful,  and 
their  labors  are  remembered  with  gratitude  to  this 
day  by  those  who  obtained  the  pearl  of  great  price, 
and  still  survive.  During  that  season,  more  than 
seventy  persons  became  hopeful  subjects  of  renewing 
grace.  And  although  that  church  and  people  have 
witnessed  repeated  revivals  of  religion  with  them 
since  that  period,  yet  the  elders  among  the  people 
have  never  witnessed,  as  they  think,  the  power  of  di- 
vine grace  in  equal  degree.  I  have  myself,  while  re- 
joicing with  the  newly  converted  in  that  place,  and 
feeling  that  we  witnessed  great  things,  been  reminded 
of  the  different  feelings  that  were  experienced  by  the 
Jews  at  Jerusalem,  at  the  laying  of  the  foundation 
of  the  second  temple,  on  their  return  from  captivity, 


OP    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  221 

when  I  heard  the  old  saints  speak  of  what  they  had 
witnessed.  It  will  be  recollected  that  the  younger 
Jews,  who  had  never  seen  the  first  temple,  rejoiced 
greatly  in  the  prospect  of  having  a  temple  for  wor- 
ship. The  older  Jews  rejoiced  also  ;  but  when  they 
contrasted  their  then  present  circumstances  with 
what  they  had  been  in  the  glory  of  the  first  temple, 
for  a  time  grief  preponderated  in  their  breasts,  and 
there  was  a  mixed  shout  of  joy  and  grief.  So  it  has 
repeatedly  been  at  Haverhill.  The  converts  of  1790 
have  ever  been  disposed  to  meditate  on  the  power  of 
divine  grace  of  that  year ;  and  although  they  could 
rejoice  in  the  day  of  small  things,  yet  they  have 
longed  to  see  one  more  day  of  the  right  hand  of  the 
Most  High. 

On  the  13th  of  October,  1790,  the  church  was  first 
organized.  Rev.  Dr.  Burton,  Rev.  Dr.  Burroughs, 
and  Rev.  Mr.  Ward,  of  Plymouth,  officiated.  Twen- 
ty-two members  constituted  the  church  at  its  organ- 
ization. Rev.  Ethan  Smith  was  their  first  pastor. 
He  was  ordained,  January  25,  1792,  and  continued 
their  pastor  a  little  more  than  seven  years  ;  dismissed 
June  23,  1799.  The  Rev.  John  Smith  succeeded  Mr. 
Ethan  Smith,  and  was  ordained,  December  23,  1802, 
and  continued  their  pastor  a  little  more  than  four 
years  ;  dismissed,  January  14,  1807.  From  this  time 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

to  January  4,  1815,  the  church  and  ecclesiastical  so- 
ciety had  no  pastor,  nor  had  they  uninterrupted 
preaching,  but  had  many  candidates  and  occasional 
preaching.  And  here  we  have  a  melancholy  exhibi- 
tion of  the  mutable  state  of  every  church  on  earth. 
The  church  that  was  so  flourishing  in  1792,  was  re- 
duced in  July,  1814,  at  the  time  when  I  commenced 
my  labors  among  them,  to  twelve  members  in  the 
south  parish — three  males,  and  nine  females, — and  a 
covering  of  sackcloth  was  spread  upon  the  tent  of 
Zion.  But  eight  persons  within  the  limits  of  the 
parish  had  made  a  public  profession  of  religion  for 
the  last  twenty-two  years.  Two  were  received  under 
the  Rev.  Ethan  Smith,  from  1792  to  1799  ;  two  un- 
der the  Rev.  John  Smith,  from  1802  to  1807  ;  and 
four  under  the  Rev.  David  Sutherland,  of  Bath,  their 
moderator,  from  1807  to  1814.  In  the  same  time 
there  were  one  hundred  and  eight  baptisms,  four  of 
whom  were  adults. 

In  the  autumn  early  of  1814,  the  people  began 
again  to  flow  together  to  hear  the  word  of  life,  and  a 
still,  small  voice  was  heard  by  many,  saying,  This 
is  the  way — walk  ye  in  it.  Many  obeyed  that  voice. 
It  was  impressively  true,  that  the  Lord  did  not  ad- 
vance, in  this  instance,  in  a  "great  and  strong  wind," 
nor  in  the  "earthquake,"  nor  in  the  "fire  ;  "  but  his 


OP    THB    COOS    COUNTRY.  223 

coming  was  as  the  ushering  in  of  day.  The  first  ev- 
idence of  the  King's  presence  was  seen  in  the  pro- 
found stillness  which  reigned  in  the  worshipping  as- 
sembly, and  the  fixed  attention  of  the  hearer. 
Christiana  began  to  feel  that  they  were  newly  anointed 
from  on  high,  and  they  prayed  with  tenderness  and 
fervor,  and  sinners  would  drop  a  tear,  when  pointed- 
ly addressed  upon  the  concerns  of  their  souls.  Soon 
we  were  told  that  this  one,  and  that  one,  were  deeply 
anxious  for  their  spiritual  interest.  And  these  in- 
stances were  multiplied  until  very  many  were  pricked 
in  heart,  and  would  inquire  to  know  what  they  must 
do  to  be  saved.  In  a  short  time,  some  began  to  re- 
joice in  hope ;  and  this  solemn  and  joyful  state  of 
things  continued  through  the  remaining  part  of  1814, 
and  more  or  less  through  1815.  On  the  4th  of  Jan- 
uary, 1815,  I  received  ordination,  and  before  the  close 
of  that  year,  I  think,  more  than  sixty  were  added  to 
the  church  ;  some  became  pillars,  and  remain  so  to 
the  present  day,  although  some  have  fallen  asleep. 

In  1822,  we  were  blessed  with  another  revival,  but 
not  so  extensive  as  the  former.  Some  were  called  and 
added  to  the  church  in  1826  ;  and  at  the  close  of  my 
ministry  in  this  place, —  which  occurred,  April  28, 
1829,  nearly  fifteen  years  after  I  came  among  them, 
— there  had  been  added  to  the  church  one  hundred 


224  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES 

and  nineteen  members.  There  had  been  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-one  baptisms,  thirty-fire  of  whom 
were  adults. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Wood  was  installed  their  pastor, 
December  14,  1831,  and  was  dismissed,  March  3, 
1835.  The  Rev.  Joseph  Gibbs  was  ordained  their 
pastor,  June  16,  1835,  and  departed  this  life,  April 
11,  1837.  Rev.  Archibald  Fleming  was  installed, 
June  27,  1838,  and  still  remains  their  pastor. 

With  my  best  wishes  and  my  prayers  for  their  mu- 
tual prosperity  and  final  salvation,  I  close  these 
Sketches. 

Your  much  obliged  and  ever  grateful  friend, 

GRANT  POWERS. 


APPENDIX. 


The  two  following  anecdotes  were  originally  written  for 
newspaper  publication  ;  but  the  publishers  of  the  Historical 
Collections  of  New  Hampshire,  learning  through  the  late  Jesse 
Worcester,  Esq.,  of  Hollis,  the  historical  accuracy  of  the  two 
pieces,  in  point  of  fact,  adopted  them  both,  as  I  have  under- 
stood, into  their  Collections.  But  as  comparatively  few  will 
ever  read  them  in  those  Collections,  and  as  the  writer  of  the 
present  Sketches  was  the  author  of  those  two  communications, 
he  feels  that  he  has  an  undoubted  right  to  append  them  to  this 
work  ;  and  when  we  consider  the  peculiar  agency  and  interest 
the  two  individuals,  who  are  the  hero  and  heroine  in  the  anec- 
dotes, had  in  the  discovery  and  the  settlement  of  the  Coos,  we 
cannot  but  feel  that  our  readers  will  be  gratified  in  the  perusal 
of  those  adventures.  The  writer  often  heard  the  aged  widow 
of  Capt  Powers  relate  the  facts  as  here  stated  ;  the  language  is, 
of  course,  his  own. 


THE  BOAR  AND  THE  BEAR. 

The  town  of  Hollis,  in  the  county  of  Hillsborough,  N.  H.,  is 
OIK-  of  the  oldest  towns  in  the  county,  and  was  first  settled  by 
Capt.  Peter  Powers,  and  Anna,  his  wife,  from  Hampshire,  Dun- 
stable,  1831.  Those  early  settlers  were  accustomed  to  the  rear- 
ing of  many  swine,  by  permitting  them  to  run  at  large  in  the 
woods,  and  to  subsist  upon  roots,  acorns,  and  nuts,  which  were 
produced  in  great  abundance  in  the  place.  In  the  fall  of  the 
year,  or  at  the  time  of  the  first  deep  snow,  the  older  members 
of  the  herd,  that  were  originally  tame,  would  lead  their  numer- 
ous progeny  into  winter  quarters,  at  a  shed  erected  for  that 
purpose  some  distance  from  the  house,  where  the  owner  dis- 
posed of  them  as  he  pleased,  although  many  of  them  were  as 
10* 


226  APPENDIX. 

untame  and  as  ferocious  as  the  beasts  of  the  mountains.  At 
that  time,  bears  were  plenty,  and  very  hostile  to  swine.  It  be- 
came necessary,  therefore,  to  provide  for  the  defence  of  the 
herd  by  permitting  one  of  the  males  to  live  several  years  be- 
yond the  period  of  life  ordinarily  assigned  to  that  species  by 
man  ;  at  which  time  he  became  literally  the  master  of  the  flock. 
His  tusks  protruded  on  either  side,  in  nearly  semi-circles,  to  the 
distance  of  six  or  seven  inches.  He  seemed  conscious  of  his  su- 
periority and  responsibility.  He  was  fierce  in  the  extreme,  and 
courted  danger  ;  and  when  the  heard  was  assailed,  he  instantly 
presented  himself  to  the  foe,  with  eyes  darting  fire,  with  tusks 
heated  to  blueness,  and  foaming  at  the  mouth  in  a  terrific  man- 
ner. He  roamed  the  forest,  unconscious  of  danger  ;  he  led  the 
herd  ;  and  but  few  of  the  untamed  tribes  had  the  temerity  to 
dispute  his  title  to  supremacy. 

It  happened,  however,  on  a  certain  day  in  autumn,  when 
Anna  stood  in  the  door  of  her  cabin,  listening  to  the  oft-repeat- 
ed sound  of  the  descending  axe,  or  the  crash  of  falling  trees, 
while  her  husband  was  at  his  daily  task,  that  she  heard  from  a 
great  distance  the  faint,  yet  distinct,  cry  of  one  of  their  herd. 
She  thought  it  was  the  cry  of  expiring  nature.  She  remained 
in  this  state  of  suspense  but  a  short  time,  before  the  heard  came 
rushing  from  the  forest  in  the  greatest  apparent  trepidation. 
The  oldest  dams  of  the  herd,  much  exhausted,  and  without 
their  common  leader  and  protector,  seemed  inclined  to  take 
refuge  in  the  apartment  which  had  been  their  retreat  in  former 
winters  ;  but  the  younger  branches  of  the  family  would  not  fol- 
low them.  The  dams,  seeing  this,  dashed  on  through  the 
cleared  space,  and  disappeared  in  the  forest  on  the  north  side. 
The  cries  of  the  wounded  were  still  heard,  but  grew  fainter  and 
fainter,  until  wholly  lost  in  death.  But  the  anxious  Anna  had 
not  removed  from  her  position,  before  the  old  boar  came  rush- 
ing through  the  bushes  in  eager  pursuit  of  his  charge,  which 
had  eloped  and  left  him  in  the  rear  by  many  a  rood.  He  was 
fresh  from  the  field  of  combat.  He  was  bathed  in  blood,  foam- 
ing at  the  mouth,  gnashing  his  tusks,  and  exhibited  a  terrific 
aspect.  Regardless  of  home,  he  approached  a  field  of  corn 
which  grew  near  the  cabin,  and  leaped  the  fence,  not  touching 
the  topmost  knot,  although  it  was  proof  against  horses  which 
strayed  through  the  woods  from  neighboring  towns  in  Massa- 


APPENDIX.  227 

chuMtts.  He  passed  directly  through  the  Hold  without  touching 
a  kernel  of  corn,  and  leaping  the  fence  on  the  opposite  side,  dis- 
appeared in  the  woods.  Not  long  after,  the  wished-for  husband, 
whose  presence  the  gathering  shades  of  evening,  the  deep  soli- 
tude of  the  place,  and  the  stirring  events  of  the  afternoon,  had 
rendered  peculiarly  inviting  to  the  young  partner  of  his  toils 
and  hopes,  returned  with  his  axe  upon  his  shoulder,  enlivening 
the  forest  with  his  evening  whistle,  and  driving  his  old  bell- 
cow  before  him,  which  summoned  Anna  with  her  milk-pail  to 
her  evening  task. 

Scarcely  had  he  secured  the  topmost  rail  to  his  yard  enclosure, 
when  Anna  from  the  window  of  her  cabin  saw  her  husband 
held  in  anxious  suspense.  For  some  moments  he  paused  and 
listened  ;  but  turned  and  called,  "  Anna,  Anna,  bring  me  my 
gun  and  ammunition  in  a  minute,  for  the  Old  Master  himself  is 
worsted."  They  were  at  his  hand  in  a  trice,  "  Look  to  your- 
self," said  the  husband,* and  bounded  into  the  forest.  Pursuing 
with  great  speed  the  course  whence  the  sound  proceeded,  which 
alone  broke  the  silence  of  the  evening,  our  adventurer  soon 
found  himself  at  a  distance  of  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  his 
cabin,  surrounded  with  black  alders,  so  thickly  set  as  to  be  al- 
most impenetrable  to  man  and  beast.  Before  him  lay  Long 
Pond,  so  called,  about  one  mile  in  length,  and  from  a  quarter  to 
a  half  a  mile,  perhaps,  in  width.  He  was  near  mid-way  of  the 
pond,  and  the  sound  from  the  laboring  boar  and  his  antagonist 
(a  mixed,  frightful  yell)  proceeded  directly  from  the  opposite 
shore.  Nothing  now  remained  but  for  him  to  plunge  into  the 
pond,  and  make  the  opposite  shore  by  beating  the  waves,  or  to 
divide  him  a  passage  amidst  the  alders  around  one  of  the  ex- 
tremities of  the  pond,  which  could  not  be  done  short  of  travel- 
ling the  distance  of  another  mile.  But  no  time  was  to  be  lost. 
The  cries  of  the  boar  bespoke  the  greatest  need,  and  the  latter 
course  was  adopted  ;  and  in  a  space  of  time,  and  with  the  cour- 
age and  energy  which  are  scarcely  conceived  by  the  present 
generation,  he  arrived  at  the  scene  of  action.  Whose  heart 
does  not  now  misgive  him,  while  nearing  the  battle  ground, 
alone,  in  darkness,  and  all  uncertain  as  to  the  nature  of  the  foe  ? 
But  young  Powers  advanced  with  undaunted  firmness.  He  was 


•Indians  were  then  numerous  In  the  town. 


228  APPENDIX. 

under  the  necessity  of  approaching  near  to  the  belligerents  be- 
fore he  could  make  any  discovery,  by  reason  of  the  darkness  of 
the  night,  rendered  more  dark  by  the  towering  trees,  which 
mingled  their  branches  at  some  sixty  or  seventy  feet  from  the 
ground,  and  a  dense  underwood,  which  stood  like  a  hedge  con- 
tinually before  him.  But  as  soon  as  he  entered  the  area  which 
had  been  beaten  down  during  the  action,  he  discovered  the  boar 
seated  upon  the  ground,  and  still  defending  himself  against  the 
furious  assaults  of  the  hugest  bear  his  eyes  ever  beheld  !  She 
was  like  his  old  bell-cow  for  magnitude  !  He  drew  his  gun  to  an 
aim,  when  he  perceived,  obscurely,  that  the  bear  was  on  a  line 
with  him  and  his  hog,  and  he  could  not  discharge  his  piece 
without  putting  the  life  of  the  latter  in  jeopardy ;  and,  as  he 
was  moving  in  a  circular  direction,  to  procure  a  safe  discharge, 
he  was  discovered  by  the  bear,  and  she  bounded  into  the  bushes. 
Powers  now  came  up  to  the  boar,  and  witnessed  such  tokens  of 
gladness  as  surprised  him.  It  was,  however,  too  solemn  an 
hour  with  the  swine  to  lavish  upon  his  deliverer  unmeaning 
ceremonies.  As  soon  as  he  found  himself  released  from  his  too 
powerful  antagonist,  he  prostrated  himself  upon  the  ground, 
and  lay  some  time,  panting  and  groaning  in  a  manner  truly  af- 
fecting to  his  owner.  Powers  now  discharged  his  gun,  with  a 
view  to  terrify  the  beasts  of  prey,  and  keep  them  off  during 
the  night.  He  struck  and  kindled  a  fire,  and  upon  a  slight  ex- 
amination, he  found  that  his  hog  was  lacerated  in  his  rear  in  a 
shocking  manner.  He  was  utterly  disabled  from  rising  except 
upon  his  fore  feet.  But  to  show  the  indomitable  nature  of  the 
animal,  I  will  relate  that  the  boar,  after  some  little  time,  re- 
covered in  a  degree  from  his  extreme  exhaustion,  and  gaining 
the  same  position  he  had  when  his  owner  found  him,  began  to 
beat  a  challenge  for  a  renewal  of  the  combat.  Again  his  eyes 
flashed  with  rage,  he  stamped  with  his  fore  feet,  he  chafed, 
gnashed  with  his  tusks,  and  foaming  at  the  mouth,  he  looked 
around  with  the  greatest  apparent  firmness  for  his  antagonist. 
Our  adventurer  now  drew  together  fallen  wood  sufficient  to 
support  a  fire  through  the  night,  burnt  powder  around  his 
swine,  and  returned  to  his  cabin,  where  he  was  never  more  joy- 
fully received  by  the  young  wife,  who,  during  all  this  while, 
had  remained  listening  at  the  window  in  painful  solicitude. 


APPENDIX.  229 

• 

The  next  day,  some  help  wag  obtained,  as  one  family*  had, 
prior  to  this,  moved  in  and  settled  in  the  south-west  part  of  the 
town,  and  the  battle  ground  was  revisited.  The  boor  had  not 
moved  out  of  his  place,  but  was  still  weltering  in  his  blood. 
With  much  labor  he  was  conveyed  home  in  a  cart,  and,  as 
he  never  could  become  the  defence  of  the  herd  again,  he  was 
yarded,  fattened,  and  killed,  and  helped  by  his  death  to  pro- 
mote that  existence  to  the  family  which  he  could  no  longer  do 
by  his  life. 

With  a  view  to  account  for  the  melancholy  fate  of  the  boar, 
Powers  and  his  associates  went  in  search  of  the  swine  that  was 
destroyed  in  the  afternoon  of  the  preceding  day.  They  found 
one  of  their  largest  hogs  slain  by  a  bear,  and,  near  to,  a  large 
bear  was  as  evidently  slain  by  the  boar.  From  this  they  in- 
ferred that  the  first  hog  was  mortally  wounded  by  a  bear  in 
the  absence  of  the  boar  ;  but  the  cries  of  the  wounded  soon 
brought  the  Matter,  when  a  battle  ensued,  in  which  the  bear 
was  slain,  not,  however,  without  loss  of  blood  with  the  boar  ; 
that  during  this  first  action,  the  rest  of  the  herd  fled,  and  that 
the  boar  was  in  pursuit  of  them  when  he  passed  the  cabin 
through  the  field  ;  that  after  running  some  miles,  at  the  point 
of  exhaustion,  he  fell  in  with  a  still  more  powerful  antagonist, 
when  his  fight  was  comparatively  feeble,  and  he  fell  overpow- 
ered, but  not  subdued,  as  it  has  fallen  out  with  many  a  Greek 
and  Roman  hero. 


AN  ADVENTUROUS  VISIT. 

When  Capt.  Peter  Powers  and  Anna,  his  wife,  first  pitched 
their  tent  in  Hoi  Us,  1731,  which  was  a  little  north-west  of  the 
present  meeting-house,  the  traces  of  which  are  still  visible, 
their  nearest  neighbor  lived  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  Dun- 
stable,  N.  H.,  a  distance,  probably,  at  this  time,  of  ten  miles, 
and  could  not  be  made  at  that  period  at  a  less  travelling  dis- 
tance than  twelve  miles,  as  they  had  no  road  but  a  single  track, 
and  spotted  trees  for  their  guide. 

•Kleaxer  t\»gg. 


230  APPENDIX. 

This  journey  could  not  be  made  in  the  summer  season  with- 
out fording  the  Nashua,  which  was  done  a  little  southeast  of  a 
•small  island,  visible  at  your  left,  as  you  now  pass  the  bridge, 
going  from  Hollis,  N.  H.,  to  Dunstable,  Mass.  ;  and  here  the 
river  was  fordable  only  when  the  streams  were  low.  Of  course, 
these  lonely  adventurers  made  their  visits  but  seldom,  and  never 
with  a  view  to  be  absent  from  their  habitation  during  the 
night,  as  they  were  then  the  parents  of  two  children,  whom 
they  were  necessitated  to  leave  at  home,  in  a  cabin  surrounded 
by  Indians.  Indeed,  never  did  both  parents  leave  their  children 
and  perform  this  route  in  company. 

Now,  it  happened  on  a  summer's  morning,  in  the  month  of 
August,  that  the  wife,  Anna,  found  it  convenient  to  visit  her 
neighbor,  and  mounting  at  an  early  hour  a  fine  Narraganset,  a 
faithful  and  tried  companion  in  adventures,  the  river  was  soon 
forded,  and  the  whole  distance  was  made,  long  ere  it  was  high 
noon.  The  interview  was  such  as  characterized  the  first  set- 
tlers in  this  new  country,  where  warmth  of  affection  more  than 
supplied  the  place  of  a  thousand  ceremonies,  and  a  sense  of  de- 
pendence promoted  to  the  discharge  of  kinder  offices  than  mere 
refinement  would  recognize  as  obligatory  on  her. 

The  hours  passed  swiftly  away — they  lived  fast — they  ate, 
they  drank,  they  talked  much,  and  blessed  God  and  their  king. 
Nor  did  a  single  occurrence  tend  to  interrupt  their  festivity  un- 
til about  three  past  meridian,  when  all  were  suddenly  aroused 
by  a  distant,  though  heavy,  discharge  of  heaven's  artillery. 
All  rushed  to  the  door  to  witness  the  aspect  of  the  elements, 
•when,  lo  !  it  was  most  threatening  and  appalling  !  Nature  all 
around  slept,  or  seemed  to  be  awed  into  a  deathlike  silence. 
Not  a  leaf  moved  but  when  the  foundations  of  the  earth  re- 
sponded to  the  voice  of  heaven.  Already,  from  north  to  south, 
the  whole  western  horizon  was  mantled  in  black,  and  the  gath- 
ering tempest  moved  forward  as  slowly  and  sublimely  as  though 
conscious  of  its  power  to  deride  all  resistance  !  Not  until  this 
moment  did  anxious  concern  possess  the  breast  of  Anna  for  the 
objects  of  her  affections,  whom  she  had  left  in  that  lone,  dear 
cell.  In  a  kind  of  momentary  distraction,  she  demanded  that 
Narraganset  should  be  pannelled,  for  she  must  return  to  her 
family  that  afternoon,  whatever  might  be  the  consequence  to 
herself.  She  had  rather  brave  the  tempest  returning,  than  en- 


APPENDIX.  231 

dure  her  forebodings  with  her  sheltered  friends.  But  a  sudden 
change  in  the  elements,  did  more  to  dissuade  her  from  so  raah 
an  attempt  than  the  entreaties  and  expostulation  of  her  friends. 
From  an  apparent  calm,  nature  now  awoke  and  seemed  to  be 
rushing  into  ruin.  As  though  the  north  called  unto  the  south, 
and  the  west  unto  the  east,  the  four  winds  came  on  to  the  con- 
flict. Clouds  were  driven  hither  and  thither  in  angry  velocity 
and  all  seemed  to  be  propelled  in  directions  counter  to  each 
other.  The  tempest  soon  burst  upon  them,  and  on  the  whole 
adjacent  country,  in  an  unparalleled  torrent.  Nothing  was  heard 
but  the  crack  or  roll  of  thunder,  and  the  roar  of  winds  and 
waters — nothing  seen  but  the  successive  blaze  of  lightning  I 

"  Intonuere  poll,  et  crebris  niicat  ignibu*  «th«r." 

The  said  Anna  lived  until  rising  somewhat  of  ninety  years, 
and  could  remember  distinctly  more  than  eighty  years  ;  but,  in 
all  this  time,  she  never  witnessed  such  a  scene,  nor  could  she 
relate  any  thing  which  seemed  to  raise  such  sublimity  of  feel- 
ing in  her  mind  as  this. 

The  tempest  lay  upon  them  with  unabated  force  several 
hours,  nor  did  it  appear  to  spend  itself  until  the  sun  was  just 
sinking  below  the  horizon,  when  it  broke  in  upon  drowned  na- 
ture in  all  its  smiles,  and  reflected  its  golden  beams  upon  the 
black  cloud  at  the  east,  in  the  most  enchanting  manner.  This 
was  the  moment  for  Anna  to  renew  her  resolve  of  returning  to 
her  family  that  night  ;  and,  contrary  to  all  reasoning  and  per- 
suasions, she  instantly  put  it  in  execution.  8he  mounted  her 
horse,  and  bidding  adieu  to  her  friends,  she  entered  the  twelve- 
mile  forest  ju&t  as  the  sun  took  his  leave  of  her.  She  calculated 
upon  a  serene  and  starlight  evening,  and  the  extraordinary  in- 
stinct of  her  beast,  as  well  as  her  experience  in  the  way  and  at 
the  fords.  But  in  regard  to  the  former,  she  was  wholly  disap- 
pointed. The  wind  soon  shifted,  and  rolled  the  same  cloud 
back  again  ;  the  rain  recommenced  as  the  night  set  in,  and  the 
wind  ceased. 

At  that  season  of  the  year,  the  time  of  twilight  was  short  ; 
the  earth  being  warmed  and  moistened,  evaporation  was  rapid, 
and  a  dense  fog  arose,  which  soon  obstructed  vision,  and,  long 
ere  she  arrived  at  the  fords,  she  was  enveloped  in  total  dark- 
ness. Her  only  guide  now  was  her  faithful  Narraganset,  and 


232  APPENDIX. 

the  beasts  of  the  forest  her  companions.  She,  however,  made 
the  best  of  her  circumstances.  She  entered  into  conversation 
with  her  mare,  as  was  her  custom  when  riding  alone  ;  and 
when  her  beast  stopped  suddenly  and  tossed  up  her  head,  and 
snorted  at  some  wild  animal  crossing  her  track,  as  was  sup- 
posed, Anna  would  exhort  her  to  possess  courage,  assuring  her 
"that  nothing  could  harm  her,  for  the  beasts  were  mere  cow- 
ards in  the  presence  of  a  brave  horse,"  &c. 

After  this  manner,  the  long  way  to  the  fords  was  passed  over 
in  Egyptian  darkness  ;  nor  had  the  thought  once  occurred  to 
Anna  that  so  considerable  a  river  as  now  rolled  before  her 
would  be  materially  affected  by  a  thunder  storm  of  a  few 
hours  ;  whereas,  so  great  was  the  fall  of  water  in  this  time  that 
the  river,  although  wide  at  this  place,  was  bank  full,  and  swept 
on  with  great  rapidity.  Nor  could  the  rushing  of  the  waters 
be  heard  by  reason  of  the  rain  still  pouring  upon  the  forest 
around  her.  She  therefore  determined  to  give  the  rein  to  her 
experienced  beast,  believing  that  she  would  keep  the  ford,  and 
land  her  on  the  opposite  shore  at  the  proper  place.  The  horse 
entered  the  stream  as  soon  as  at  the  bank,  and  in  a  moment 
lost  her  foot-hold  on  terra  fir  ma,  and  was  plunging  in  the 
waves  at  a  full  swim.  Such,  however,  was  Anna's  presence  of 
mind,  that  she  made  no  exertion  to  rein  her  beast,  but  endeav- 
ored simply  to  retain  her  seat,  which  was  now  under  water, 
whilst  the  waves  beat  against  her  waist.  The  faithful  animal 
made  for  the  opposite  shore  ;  but  so  strong  was  the  current, 
that  she  was  either  carried  below  the  ford,  or,  in  her  exertions 
to  resist  it,  she  overacted  and  went  above  it,  where,  at  one 
sweep  of  her  fore  feet,  she  struck  upon  a  rock  in  the  bed  of  the 
river,  which  suddenly  raised  her  somewhat  from  the  water 
forward  ;  but  she  as  soon  plunged  again,  for  the  rock  was 
cleared  the  second  sweep.  This  plunge  was  so  deep  that  Anna 
was  borne  from  her  pannel  by  the  gravity  of  the  water,  but 
pitching  forward,  she  seized  Narraganset's  mane  as  she  rose, 
nor  did  she  quit  her  grasp,  until  they  were  both  safely  landed 
on  the  happy  shore  !  adjusting  her  clothes,  she  remounted,  and 
soon  found  that  her  beast  was  in  her  accustomed  track,  and,  in 
little  more  than  one  hour,  she  alighted  at  the  door  of  her  peace- 


APPENDIX.  233 

ful  cabin,  where,  by  her  well-known  signal,*  she  broke  the 
•lumber  of  her  husband  and  babes,  and  on  entering  related,  in 
no  purer  gratitude  or  greater  joy  than  they  experienced  in 
hearing,  the  result  of  that  adventurous  night. 

*  Capt.  Powcra  und  wife  agreed  on  a  peculiar  nip;  whlrh  served  M  a  kind  of 
countersign  to  Inform  th*  one  within  that  tin-  other  bad  arrived  and  desired 
admission.  This  wai  necessary  to  prevent  the  intrusion  of  Indian*,  who 
would  often  rap  at  different  hours  of  the  night. 


DEED  OF  THE  COOS  COUNTRY. 

To.all  persons  to  whom  these  Presents  shall  come,  Greeting  : 

Know  ye,  that  I  Philip,  an  Indian,  a  native  of  America  now 
resident  in  upper  Coos  &  Chief  thereof, 

For  &  in  consideration  of  the  sum  hereafter  named  for  which 
I  have  received  security  to  my  full  satisfaction  of  Thomas 
Eames  of  Northumberland  in  the  County  of  Orafton  &  State 
of  New  Hampshire  &  his  associates  namely,  John  Bradley  & 
Jonathan  Eastman  of  Concord,  county  of  Rockingham  & 
Nathan  Hoit  of  Moultonborough  in  the  County  of  Stratford  all 
in  the  state  of  New  Hampshire  Esqrs,  all  my  peculiar  friends. 
I  this  day  have  given,  bargained  sold,  released,  conveyed  &  con- 
firmed &  by  these  presents  do  give,  grant,  bargain,  sell,  convey 
&  confirm  to  them  the  said  Thomas,  John,  Jonathan  &  Nathan 
their  heirs  &  assigns  forever  al)  that  tract  or  parcel  of  land  & 
waters  situate  within  the  following  boundaries,  Viz,  Beginning 
on  the  East  side  of  Conneetteecook  now  called  Connecticut 
River  at  the  mouth  of  Ammanoosuck  River,  then  up  said 
Ammanoosuck  river  to  Head  Pond  to  the  carrying  place, 
then  across  the  carrying  place  to  a  small  pond  on  the  head  of 
Peumpelussuck  or  dead  river,  then  down  said  river  to  Andrew- 
scoggin  river,  then  up  Andrewscoggin  River  to  the  Lake  Ham- 
bagog,  including  all  the  waters  of  said  Lake  &  Islands  from 
said  lake  up  Andrewscoggin  River  to  Allogunanabagogg  Lake, 
including  all  the  waters  &  Islands  in  said  Lake,  then  up  said 
Andrewscoggin  River  to  Molleychungomuck  Lake,  thence 
along  the  easterly  side  of  said  Lake  to  the  outlet  of  Mooseluk- 
megantick,  then  up  said  river  to  said  Lake  Mooseluckmegantick 
including  all  the  waters  &  Islands  thereof,  then  across  the  car- 
rying place  Quasuktecuck,  thence  down  said  river  till  it  emp- 
ties into  Awsisgowassuck  River,  then  up  said  river  to  Palmach- 
inanabagogg  Lake  including  all  the  waters  &  Islands  thereof, 
thence  up  Awsisgowassuck  River  to  the  carrying  place  that 


236  APPENDIX. 

leads  into  Awseecunticook  River  or  St.  Frances  River,  thence 
down  said  river  till  it  falls  into  the  branch  which  empties  from 
Lake  Mamsloobagogg,  then  up  said  River  to  Skessawannoock' 
Lake,  thence  up  said  River  to  said  Mamsloobagogg,  including 
all  the  waters  &  Islands  thereof,  from  thence  up  Masskeecoow- 
anggawnall  River  to  the  head  thereof,  then  across  the  carrying 
place  to  the  head  of  Nulpeagawnuck,  then  down  said  river  to 
Conneeteecook  or  Connecticut  river  then  down  said  river  in- 
cluding all  the.  Islands  thereof  to  the  mouth  of  Ammunoosuck 
river,  the  place  began  at,  agreeably  to  a  plan  I  have  this  day 
given  to  them,  their  heirs  &  assigns  forever  with  the  following 
conditions  &  reservations,  namely  that  I  reserve  free  liberty  to 
hunt  all  sorts  of  wild  game  on  any  of  the  foregoing  territories, 
and  taking  fish  in  any  of  the  waters  thereof  for  myself  my 
heirs  &  sucksessors  &  all  Indian  tribes  forever,  also  liberty  of 
planting  four  bushels  of  corn  &  beans  ;  &  this  my  trusty  friend 
Thomas  having  given  me  security  to  furnish  me  &  my  Squaw 
with  provisions  &  suitable  clothing  which  I  have  accepted  in 
f ulL  I  have  for  myself  &  in  behalf  of  all  Indians  who  hunted 
on  or  inhabited  any  of  the  foregoing  lands  or  waters,  forever 
quitclaimed  &  sold  as  aforesaid  to  them  the  said  Thomas,  John, 
Jonathan  &  Nathan  as  a  good  estate  in  fee  simple,  and  do  cove- 
nant with  them  that  myself  &  my  ancient  Fathers  forever  & 
at  all  times  have  been  in  possession  of  the  above  described 
premises,  &  that  I  have  a  good  right  to  &  wtll  warrant  &  de- 
fend the  same  to  them  the  said  Thomas,  John,  Jonathan  & 
Nathan  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever  against  the  claims  of  all 
or  any  persons  whatever. — In  Witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto 
set  my  hand,  seal  &  signeture,  this  twenty  eighth  day  of  June 
1796. 

PHILIP  +"  INDIAN  CHIEF.        [SEAL.] 
MOLLEY  +'  MESSELL.  [SEAL.] 

mark 

MOOSELECK  +  SUSSOP.  [SEAL.] 

mark 

Signed  Sealed  &  Did  j 

in  presence  of  ( 

Ely  Buel  f" 

Jeremh  Eames.  1 


APPENDIX.  237 

State  of  New  Hampshire.    Grafton,   sa.    June  30th,  179A. 
Personally  appeared  Philip  Indian  Chief,  Molley  Messell  & 
Mooseleck  &  acknowledged  the  foregoing  instrument  by  them 
respectively  subscribed  to  be  their  voluntary  act  &  deed. 
Before  me 

JERH  EAMES,  .hmticr  Peace. 


GRAFTON,   88.    Nov.  22,  1796. 

Received,  Recorded  &  examined. 
Attest, 

JOHN  ROGERS,  Regr. 


State  of  New  Hampshire, 

GRAFTON,  88.     December  9,   1879. 

I,  Charles  H.  Day,  Register  of  Deeds,  for  the  County  of  Graf- 
ton,  hereby  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  copy  of  Grafton 
County  Records,  Libro  23,  Folio  206. 
Attest, 

C.  H.  DAY,  Reg.  Deeds. 


INDEX. 


Bailey,  Gen.  Jacob  35,  53 

190,  213-218 

Bailey,  Col  Joshua 50 

Baker's  River 171—174 

Barnes,  J.,  lost  son 171 

Bradford.  Vt 160 

Brook,  Poole 46 

Brown,  Josiah 170 

Burton,  D.  D.,  Rev.  Asa 83 

134—141,  154—158,  159 

Campton 169 

Cart  with  two  tongues 218 

Chamberlain,  John . . .  141—142 

Charters  47 

Claremont 129 

Connel,  John  Me 113—116 

Cornish 129 

Cow,  instinct  of  a 89 

Crank,  saw-mill 68—72 

Dearborn,  Samuel 165 — 171 

Eastman,  Amos 14 

Elkins,  Col.  Jonathan 191 

197,  217 

Elkins,  Dea.  Jonathan 52 

Fairlee,  East 159 

Fifleld's,  A.,  lost  son 164 

Flood 110 

Freeman,  Col.  Otis 78 

Foreman,  John. 50 

Groton...  ..169 


Hamver 78—80,  130—133 

Harriman,  Polly 46 

Hazen,  Capt.  John 36,  43 

Hebron 169 

Hobart,  Capt.  James 165 

Holderness 169 

Howard,  Col.  Joshua 43 

Howard,  Deacon 80—82 

Hughs,  John 48 

Indians    ......172—186 

Instinct  of  a  cow 89 

Johnston,  Capt.  Michael — 46 

Johnston,  CoL  Charles 45 

91,  95—103 

Johnston,  Michael 36,  40,  44 

Johnson,  Col.  Thomas. .47,  177 
190,  217 

Kent,  CoL  Jacob 49 

Kent,  Mary  49 

Ladd,  Hon.  Ezekiel 52 

Ladd,  Mrs.  Ruth 60,  67 

Lancaster 48 

Lebanon 129 

Living  and  Dress 119—120 

Lyme 130 

Mann,  Esq.,  John 124—128 

Morse,  Uriah 46 

Norwich.  Vt 1*4— 144 

Orford 126 

Osmer,  John 160—163 


240 


INDEX. 


Ox    Bow,   Great,   old  Indian 

Settlement 36-39 

Page,  John-  ••• 49,  69,  71 

Parker,  Lieut.  Z 165 

Peabody,  Nathaniel 209 

Peters,  Esq.,  Andrew  B....162 

Pettie,  John 36,40,  44 

Piermont 119—120 

Pigeons 109 

Plainfleld. 129 

Plymouth 165,  168—175 

Plymouth,  first  ox-team 

from 116 

Powers,  Capt.  Peter,....  15— 32 

84—87 
Powers,  Rev.  Peter 53—57 

75—88 

Revivals. 219-221 

Rogers,  Col.  Robert  . . .  .34—35 

Rumney 169 

Sleeper,  Samuel 40,  61—63 

Sparks,  Jared 211 

Stark,  Gen.  John 13—14 

Strong,  Joel 157 


Thanksgiving 74 

Thetford,  Vt 141—159 

Thornton 169 

Tyler,  Jonathan 120—124 

Wait's  River. 163 

Walbridge 78—80 

Wallace,  Mrs. 146—148 

Wallace,  Richard 91—94 

113—118,  143—153 

Warren  169 

Washington,  Gen 202—212 

Ward,  Rev.  Nathan...  166— 168 

Way,  Mr 56,57 

Weare,  Meshech .208 

Webster,  Ephraim . .  ..150—154 

Webster,  Lydia 168 

Wentworth, 169 

Wheeler,  Charles 181 

Wheeler,  Glazier, 40,  44 

Willard,  Oliver 41,  42 

Woodward,  Hon.  James.... 48 
64—71 

Worms 103—108 

Wright,  Benoni 62,  63 


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